A proviso as regards the physical fitness (9)
I believe the answer is:
condition
This clue might be a double definition.
'a proviso' is the first definition.
(thesaurus)
'the physical fitness' is the second definition.
(I've seen this before)
'as regards' acts as a link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to one of the definitions.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for condition that I've seen before include "State or circumstance" , "Proviso, stipulation" , "rider" , "Train" , "qualification" .)