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.

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?