7x Olympic Champion Allyson Felix Recalls Challenging Maternity Phase That Sparked Sporting Industry’s Revolution

After the Tokyo Olympics, American track and field athlete Allyson Felix bid her adieu to the professional contests. Rather, she invested much of her time being a voice to the classes who often find themselves under the piston. Allyson Felix’s footwear brand, Saysh exemplified this effort largely. Apart from introducing some monumental policies on the ground, the women-centric brand engaged with consumer funds like IRIS Venture, an entirely feminine-led program to send the message. However, the very start of this journey wasn’t easy for the 7x Olympic champion. 

In 2019, she made her valiant effort to call her sporting sponsor out for their maternity policy. At the helm of the fifth anniversary, Allyson Felix has gone down again on that memory lane and the changes she has secured, turning the tide. 

Allyson Felix’s crusade against the big player in the market 

On March 11, 2024, Allyson penned down a lengthy message on IG, recollecting her memories from the past. “Five years ago I was hiding my pregnancy, training in the dark and rarely leaving the house in hopes of securing a new contract, so I wouldn’t have to choose between motherhood and the profession I loved,” the 38-year-old stated. Eventually, in 2019, it was a tightrope between her and her sporting sponsor, Nike, to dictate terms on the then-existing maternity policy. As it was shared with The Times, the policy claimed to reduce the payment for any athlete who failed to meet a certain threshold “for any reason”. Pregnancy, maternity, or childbirth could not have any resolute effect on that policy. However, Allyson Felix announced her fight against that policy in 2019. 

After her pregnancy in 2018, Nike wasn’t in place to go with Felix with the regular payment, as the renewal should have been. Rather, they offered a 70% cut to the champion, doubting her form. But Allyson Felix objected to bowing out. Rather, her logic went on, “I wanted to set a new standard. If I, one of Nike’s most widely marketed athletes, couldn’t secure these protections, who could?” That finalized the fate of the deal. 

She ended that 9-year-long sponsorship after that. But a havoc public outcry made Nike change the policy in 2019, August, placing an 18-month window barring the performance scale of any such athlete. Allyson Felix’s stand at that time wreaked havoc, paving the way for a change. Let’s take a look at how the scenario has changed for Felix and elsewhere.

The thorough evolution of the situation 

Now, Allyson Felix is in her second pregnancy. But contrary to the first one, the proud mother is living that to the fullest. “Today, I’m living this pregnancy out loud, experiencing joy and building @bysaysh because of the dark times I went through”, she added in the IG post. On that note, her brand Saysh has made some stunning efforts to secure the leave and financial policy for pregnant employees. In the industry as well, a change thrived. 

Read more: “Pregnancy Out Loud”: Allyson Felix Receives Huge Amount of Love From Fans After Flaunting Her Pregnancy Unlike Her First Time

In 2019, Nuun, Burton, Brooks, and Altra changed their maternity policy. Moreover, sporting brands like Adidas availed up to 70% of the salary in the maternal leaves. Allyson Felix herself went in, posting messages. The documentary Birthing Justice was a special effort from her to spread awareness of maternity and black mothers’ health. So being the harbinger of that change, Allyson positively noted, “I see a shift in the culture. It’s mind blowing to see how far things have come in 5 years. Onward[emoji]“. 

Also read: This Is Why Simone Biles, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, and Others Called Quits With Nike