Cyclists ride around Hoan Kiem lake during a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament in Hanoi December 13, 2014. As many as 300 riders representing 15 domestic and two foreign teams (Laos and Cambodia) are participating in a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament from
Cyclists ride around Hoan Kiem lake during a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament in Hanoi December 13, 2014. As many as 300 riders representing 15 domestic and two foreign teams (Laos and Cambodia) are participating in a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament from Vietnam's south end of Ca Mau to Cao Bang in the country's north from December 2 to 16. According to the Quan Doi Nhan Dan (Vietnam's People Army) newspaper, which organized the tournament, the aim of the race is to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese military on December 22, 1944. REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM - Tags: SPORT CYCLING MILITARY)
Cyclists ride around Hoan Kiem lake during a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament in Hanoi December 13, 2014. As many as 300 riders representing 15 domestic and two foreign teams (Laos and Cambodia) are participating in a trans-Vietnam cycling tournament from Vietnam's south end of Ca Mau to Cao Bang in the country's north from December 2 to 16. According to the Quan Doi Nhan Dan (Vietnam's People Army) newspaper, which organized the tournament, the aim of the race is to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnamese military on December 22, 1944. REUTERS/Kham (VIETNAM - Tags: SPORT CYCLING MILITARY)

The Raffles Hotel in Perth has officially banned Lycra shorts on its premised. The prohibition was because of the complaint of hotel guests that many cyclists who wear Lycra biking outfits are sweaty and smelly.

The ban represents a change from the hotel's previous excuse of denying service last week to four cyclists because they were wearing the tight body-hugging shorts. Because of the furor created by the incident which was shared in social media sites, Raffles clarified in its Facebook account that cyclists are not allowed in the hotel not due to their attire but because of the lack of bike racks that posed a potential safety problem.

It noted that when large group of bikers arrive, local residents complain that because of the lack of sufficient racks, bike owners leave their units on the path, walls and grassed areas around Raffles.

The hotel then insisted, "This decision was never a dress code issue, and if dress was communicated by our staff then we apologise for the misunderstanding and assure everyone that this is not the case."

But some hotel guests were vocal in the post in the Raffles FB page of their dislike for the Lycra. One of them, Matt Mcguire wrote, quoted by News.com.au, "I was there on Saturday and 3 of them came in while I was having lunch. All fat in tight clothes thinking they are gunna be the next lance Armstrong. Ban them all from entering places like that it puts you off your food."

Gabrielle Egle wrote, "I don't want to sit on a same chair as the sweaty cyclist."

The controversy over the lycra-wearing cyclists came at about the same time that Prime Minister Tony Abbott's doctor told him to "stay off the bike for good."

YouTube/AFP news agency

However, Sydney Morning Herald Sports writer Tegan Higgginbotham opined, "It has much more to do with the Prime Minister's too-tight shorts and the fact Australia has seen enough of his junk."

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au