(Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Olympic track star Allyson Felix is creating a fund that will provide $10,000 each for 20 female track stars who become mothers but still want to pursue their Olympic dreams.
Felix, who has won six Olympic gold medals and 11 world championship titles, is partnering with Athleta and the Women’s Sports Foundation to create “The Power of She Fund: Child Care Grants.”
In 2019, Felix called out Nike for allegedly reducing female athletes’ pay when they become pregnant. She said Nike cut off negotiations when her demands included the guarantee that her pay would not be cut if she has a child and doesn’t perform at her very best.
The 35-year-old, who’s competing at the Tokyo Olympics, said that with Athleta’s support, she feels aligned with a company that understands “that I am a whole person beyond the track.”
“They jumped right in to support my training as well as my passions and advocacy platforms. In fact, part of my contract with Athleta includes provisions for Cammy to join me whenever I am competing,” Felix said, according to Fast Company.