USA Track & Field Expands Maternity Support for Athletes

INDIANAPOLIS (April 25, 2024) — USA Track & Field (USATF) is pleased to announce that it has expanded maternity support for athletes, building on the existing support offered by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
 
The USOPC supports athletes with Athlete Stipends and Elite Athlete Health Insurance (EAHI) for one year after the end of a pregnancy, provided the athlete intends to return to competition at an elite level. USATF has added additional support in recognition that one year could often be not enough time to return to an elite level for track and field athletes, and athletes can only requalify for Tier benefits in September of each year.
 
When an athlete’s USOPC maternity support ends, USATF will continue to support athletes with funding and support until the next time the athlete has an opportunity to requalify for Tier (September 30 of each year for the following year Tier benefits). This will provide athletes with adequate opportunity to requalify for Tier/TPP benefits following their pregnancy.
 
USATF Chief Operating Officer, Renee Chube Washington said: “USATF is proud to continue to put athlete support at the forefront of our organization. Team USATF’s legacy of success and excellence would not be possible without our female athletes, so offering additional maternity support will help ensure athletes are equipped with all the necessary tools and resources on their journey to gold.”
 
USATF’s expanded maternity support benefits include reimbursement for COBRA premiums for athletes and all USATF-paid High Performance Programs support, including medical expense reimbursement, competitive opportunities support, funding to USATF Championships, tier coaching stipend, and coach travel support to World Championships and the Olympic Games (if the athlete qualifies for the team). The expanded policy takes effect immediately and is expected to benefit six athletes in 2024.
 
As a part of USATF commitment to advancing equal opportunity, access and support for all athletes, the organization also announced last month a new partnership with a menstrual hygiene product supplier August through 2025. A concern first raised by athletes on USATF’s Athletes Advisory Council, the partnership will provide necessary menstrual hygiene products for athletes to alleviate costs and facilitate athletes' preparedness during competition.
 

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Media Enquiries

USATF: Aarti Parekh – aarti.parekh@usatf.org

About USATF

USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running, and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country's No. 1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.