Can Paid Leave Go The Distance?

Three track-and-field stars sparked a movement by going public about the lack of maternity leave in sports. As the push for paid leave gains traction nationwide, they tell us how they’ll keep fighting.

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In May, six-time U.S. champion middle-distance runner Alysia Montaño and world-champion marathoner Kara Goucher broke nondisclosure agreements to reveal, in a powerful New York Times op-ed, how Nike and other sports companies penalize many of their sponsored athletes who become pregnant by cutting their pay until they return to competition. Six-time Olympic gold-medalist sprinter Allyson Felix followed with her own column the next week, divulging that her contract-renewal negotiations were at a standstill because Nike refused to guarantee she wouldn’t be docked for not performing at her best in the months surrounding childbirth. Both pieces sent shock waves around the country, sparking a conversation about the need for paid leave nationwide. In response, Nike said it would no longer financially penalize pregnant runners; Asics, which Montaño also called out for threatening to stop paying her postpartum, Under Armour, and New Balance affirmed their commitment to supporting athletes during and after pregnancy; and Brooks said it would improve its policies to do the same. Here, the trio of runners discuss speaking out, setting a precedent for the next generation, and why having paid time off to welcome a new baby matters.

Marie Claire: How aware were you about Nike’s policy when you signed?