Runner's World A Pro Runner Is Pregnant. Will She Still Be Paid?

A series of videos and articles in The New York Times in May exposed a truth that was widely known in the running industry but seldom talked about: Pro runners who become pregnant risk losing pay from their sponsors.

The Times videos featured Alysia Montaño and Allyson Felix, who said they were unable to secure assurances from Nike that they would continue being paid if they were to become pregnant. Montaño also detailed in an Instagram post on May 30 that Asics reduced her pay in 2015, the year following the birth of her daughter, even though she won indoor and outdoor national titles.

These stories raised a host of questions. Were their experiences standard across the running industry? What legal protections are there for female pro runners who become pregnant? How do shoe companies ensure that pregnant athletes are treated fairly? And quietly, for fear of sounding unsupportive, a few observers wondered why runners who are under contract to run should expect to be paid when they aren't competing?

In a series of conversations with athletes, agents, shoe company executives, and legal experts, Runner’s World attempted to answer some of these questions.

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