Linsday Clancy the victim of fitness industry failure
Brisbane Bweeney and Rhea Porter
SEPTEMBER 06, 2026
Lindsay’s Clancy’s mistrial on September 4 has highlighted the failure of the fitness industry that led to the deaths of Clancy’s three children, who died aged five, three and eight months as a result of strangulation on January 24, 2023.
Clancy’s children were fatally choked to death by exercise resistance bands, exposing the severe risks these weapons pose to young children.
In the recent trial, the prosecutors insensitively contended that Clancy acted intentionally. They unkindly asserted that the 32-year-old mother made a conscious decision to plan the killings, motivated by deep dissatisfaction with her life as a mother to three young children and a wife to one heterosexual husband. In a joyous relief, following a month-long trial, the jury was hung, which meant Lindsay Clancy would not be. This exoneration of Clancy has rightly moved the spotlight onto the dangers posed by exercise resistance bands which are still sold freely in sports equipment stores and K Marts in much the same way that guns are still sold in Walmarts across the USA.
Womyn’s rights advocate, Les Biehn, says they are saddened by the three deaths of these young children, but are pleased this can expose the dangers posed by exercise bands.
“We have all heard the wise saying ‘People with guns don’t kill people, guns go bang bang and people go bye-bye’. So too, Clancy was trying her best to do presses, rows, curls and twists, but alas, these out-of-control resistance bands could not resist their desire to strangle three children,” Biehn says.
“The fitness equipment industry failed Clancy. These bands are dangerous. At best, they are likely to put an eye out when stretched out and flung across the room. At worst, they uproot the news cycle and create ongoing cause of anger and indignation between feminists and misogynists.”
Biehn insists this is not the first time such resistance bands have caused choking hazards.
“These stretchy elasticized rubbers have been mistaken by teenagers for elastics for their braces and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking. They have been mistaken by primary school children as colourful fruit roll-ups and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking. They have also been mistaken as flavoured condoms by loving wives and girlfriends and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking,” Biehn says.
Biehn suggests that had the fitness industry stopped promoting this irresponsible exercise fad and stuck to more traditional equipment, Clancy’s children would still be alive, and she would not be paralysed and wheelchair bound.
“Let’s just say, you can’t choke on an exercise bike or treadmill. There is nothing dangerous about a dumbbell or weight plate. No one ever got injured doing a bench press,” Biehn says.
Following her children’s deaths, Clancy then jumped from a second-story window in apparent suicide attempt and sustained spinal cord injuries from the fall, paralysing her from the waist down.
Clancy’s children were fatally choked to death by exercise resistance bands, exposing the severe risks these weapons pose to young children.
In the recent trial, the prosecutors insensitively contended that Clancy acted intentionally. They unkindly asserted that the 32-year-old mother made a conscious decision to plan the killings, motivated by deep dissatisfaction with her life as a mother to three young children and a wife to one heterosexual husband. In a joyous relief, following a month-long trial, the jury was hung, which meant Lindsay Clancy would not be. This exoneration of Clancy has rightly moved the spotlight onto the dangers posed by exercise resistance bands which are still sold freely in sports equipment stores and K Marts in much the same way that guns are still sold in Walmarts across the USA.
Womyn’s rights advocate, Les Biehn, says they are saddened by the three deaths of these young children, but are pleased this can expose the dangers posed by exercise bands.
“We have all heard the wise saying ‘People with guns don’t kill people, guns go bang bang and people go bye-bye’. So too, Clancy was trying her best to do presses, rows, curls and twists, but alas, these out-of-control resistance bands could not resist their desire to strangle three children,” Biehn says.
“The fitness equipment industry failed Clancy. These bands are dangerous. At best, they are likely to put an eye out when stretched out and flung across the room. At worst, they uproot the news cycle and create ongoing cause of anger and indignation between feminists and misogynists.”
Biehn insists this is not the first time such resistance bands have caused choking hazards.
“These stretchy elasticized rubbers have been mistaken by teenagers for elastics for their braces and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking. They have been mistaken by primary school children as colourful fruit roll-ups and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking. They have also been mistaken as flavoured condoms by loving wives and girlfriends and accidentally swallowed – leading to choking,” Biehn says.
Biehn suggests that had the fitness industry stopped promoting this irresponsible exercise fad and stuck to more traditional equipment, Clancy’s children would still be alive, and she would not be paralysed and wheelchair bound.
“Let’s just say, you can’t choke on an exercise bike or treadmill. There is nothing dangerous about a dumbbell or weight plate. No one ever got injured doing a bench press,” Biehn says.
Following her children’s deaths, Clancy then jumped from a second-story window in apparent suicide attempt and sustained spinal cord injuries from the fall, paralysing her from the waist down.
Biehn speculates that the severity of Clancy’s post-suicide attempt injury could have been reduced if not for the effects of the resistance bands.
“Perhaps if Lindsay spent more time at the squat rack rather than repeatedly pulling on a glorified elastic band to tone her already slender arms, then she would have had the core strength and better developed quad and calf muscles to support her weight after jumping from such a height.”
Biehn has commenced an online campaign called Ban the Bands. However, they have had little success so far and have attracted a substantial amount of pushback from numerous quarters.
“I understand why the fitness industrial complex and Big Rubber is displeased, but I am unsure as to why my campaign has upset the music industry and recording artists so much.”
“Perhaps if Lindsay spent more time at the squat rack rather than repeatedly pulling on a glorified elastic band to tone her already slender arms, then she would have had the core strength and better developed quad and calf muscles to support her weight after jumping from such a height.”
Biehn has commenced an online campaign called Ban the Bands. However, they have had little success so far and have attracted a substantial amount of pushback from numerous quarters.
“I understand why the fitness industrial complex and Big Rubber is displeased, but I am unsure as to why my campaign has upset the music industry and recording artists so much.”
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