As of today, 13 of the top 13 female Nike athletes are pregnant. This is despite a new policy protecting them against pay cuts for the 18 months before and after they become mothers. The two athletes in question are tennis legend Serena Williams and WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu, and the Nike Collective was founded to make sure that female athletes were part of the company's decisions. A number of other factors are important for Nike's growth as a brand as well as the sport.
13 of the top Nike sponsored athletes are currently pregnant
Thirteen top-paid female Nike athletes are pregnant or have had children. For women who have dedicated their careers to their sport, the worrying trend of athletes becoming parents is even more concerning. The lack of support for athletes in pregnancy is especially problematic, and Nike's policy on maternity leaves athletes feeling unprotected. Many of them spoke out and demanded protection against punishment after childbirth.
Nike's new pregnancy policy protects them for 18 months from any pay cut
It is often said that women in sports including the Olympic teams are subject to pay cuts. Nike is now taking the initiative to protect female athletes against these cuts. Nike executives sent a note to female athletes explaining that they had not properly considered pregnancy in sponsorship agreements. But that they now have pregnancy protection language in the contracts. Felix explains why Nike made changes to its policy.
Allyson Feliz
Allyson Felix was involved with Nike a few years back in a dispute over maternity rights. She claimed that Nike's approach to maternity rights was disrespectful and tone-deaf. Nike ultimately agreed to make changes. They also promised not to penalize Felix for poor performance postpartum. The situation is not ideal for everyone. Felix has signed a new contract to Athleta in light of this new situation.
Alyssia Monano's pregnancies
Alyssia Monteno, a pregnant Olympic athlete, has been in the news. Mexican-born Alysia Montano was pregnant when she competed in women's marathons in 2014 and 2017. She was pregnant, which caused the company to reduce her pay retroactively. She explained that Nike and U.S. Olympic Committee pressured her to get back to her former athletic form quickly. After her first baby, she decided to leave Nike and sign with Asics. Here, she was able continue competing and compete without any pay cuts. She was afraid that she would not be able to return to her former level and it could threaten her future sponsorships.
Allyson Felix's reaction on the nike advertisement
Allyson Felix is currently negotiating with Nike over her maternity protections. She said that she was unaware she was pregnant when Nike asked to feature her in an ad about female empowerment. In December, her contract expired with the company. She was then asked to accept a 70% salary cut in order to remain with them. Nike denied her request for certain protections during pregnancy, including the right to choose a physician. The ad led to a greater debate about the rights for female athletes.