The upcoming Paris Olympics is going to be so much more welcoming to parents who are competing — especially those who have young kids — and that’s thanks in no small part to Allyson Felix. The decorated United States runner may be retired, but she’s still heavily involved in the sports world and the wellbeing of athletes. And with her sights no longer set on gold, she shifted gears toward an entirely different goal: to make the Olympics more comfortable and enjoyable for parents by opening a nursery at the Olympic Village.
As a member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, she brought the idea before the IOC at large — “And they were receptive,” Felix said while speaking at an event with The Lactation Network. “And I was shocked because anything happening at the IOC is very slow moving. I was I was blown away that they thought we could put something together for parents.”
This year, in the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Village — which is typically only open to the athletes themselves — parents competing in the games and their families will have access to a nursery to spend quality time with their kids, play, and breastfeed.
“For parent athletes competing at Paris 2024, it’s important to find a balance between preparing for your big moment and caring for your children,” the IOC said in their statement about establishing a nursery as an “ongoing commitment” to “care for and support” parent athletes at the Olympic Games.
The nursery — which is designed for “children of nappy/diaper-wearing age — will be available in the non-residential section of the Olympic Village and open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“It’s a start,” Felix said.
The 7-time gold medalist and mom of two has big ideas for future games. She’d like to see a larger nursery and for there to perhaps be other childcare providers so athletes don’t have to depend on a partner or caregiver for the duration of the Games.
“And being able to take some of that load off and also support,” she said, presumably referencing financial support. “It’s a huge expense to go to the Olympic Games and to have to fund all of those things because you have a child.”
The nursery isn’t the only way the 2024 Olympics will be more friendly to competing moms. Per The Washington Post, The French National Olympic and Sports Committee has also pledged to make hotel rooms available for French athletes who are breastfeeding.
The Games will also be more family-friendly for viewers with young kids who can see familiar faces covering the events. Sesame Street characters Elmo, his puppy Tango, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby will all participate in NBC Sports’ coverage of the Olympic Games.
“The Olympics celebrates the best in sportsmanship and promotes kindness and respect, traits that are central to our mission to help children grow smarter, stronger, and kinder to build a better world,” Sesame Street chief marketing and brand officer Samantha Maltin said in a release. “Bringing [these characters] to Paris will provide fun, entertaining, and enriching content for viewers of all generations.”
Before you go, check out these celebrity kiddos who love sports.
