Safety of women athletes ‘a real problem’ | Global News Avenue

With a record 20 world championships and 11 Olympic medals, Allyson Felix is ​​the most decorated track and field athlete of all time.

Not content with just trailblazing on the track, she has become a staunch advocate for women in recent years, particularly in the area of ​​maternal health rights.

Violence against female athletes has cast a pall over the sport this year, and Felix told BBC 100 Women she was deeply concerned about the safety of female athletes in some parts of the world.

“The culture has to change. Something is not right and that does worry me,” she said.

Felix said she was shocked to hear the news of the death of Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, who was set on fire by her boyfriend in Kenya earlier this year.

The mother-of-two is the third female athlete to die in Kenya in three years.

Felix said it was a “real issue” that she would prioritize as a recently elected member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, which represents athletes in the Olympic movement.

“The consequences must have been severe, but I think it was more than that,” she said. “I think we have to rally around the sports community and come together.”

The American runner, who retires in 2022, is one of the women on the BBC’s 100 Women list, which annually identifies 100 inspiring and influential women around the world. This year’s list focuses on the theme of “resilience,” which is especially close to home for Felix.

In 2018, at 32 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and had an emergency caesarean section. Her daughter, Camryn, spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The following year, in a Powerful New York Times op-edFelix took on her then-sponsor Nike over maternity pay, revealing the company threatened to cut her salary by 70% if motherhood affected her future performance.

Three months later, Nike changed its stance and the new contract guaranteed athletes’ wages and bonuses for 18 months before and after pregnancy. Three other sportswear companies have also launched fertility protection for sponsored athletes.

Felix wrote in her article that pregnancy was the “kiss of death” for her industry.

“I was afraid of what the consequences would be. I was afraid of how people would receive it. It’s just not in my nature. So it was really hard to be vulnerable,” she said.

The decision to speak out could have ended her career, but less than a year after giving birth, Felix made history by winning her 12th gold medal at the 4x400m mixed relay world championships in Doha, surpassing Usain Bolt’s record.

Felix has since carved out a new path for himself.

Two years after parting ways with Nike, she and her brother Wes founded a footwear company in 2021 to sell sneakers inspired by women’s feet.

This year the mother-of-two was instrumental in ensuring a creche was set up in the Olympic Village, the first ever for athletes competing at the Games.

She considers it a huge win but says more needs to be done.

“When you come back, it’s a huge hurdle to get back into the sport and figure out traveling around the world and who’s taking care of your kids,” she said.

“Being able to take something off the plate, that’s what I want to do.”

Going forward, she hopes to see sponsors change the way they represent female athletes.

Her latest venture, Always Alpha, is a management company dedicated to women’s sports, which she says is part of her legacy.

“Traditionally, women have been put in the same box (with men). I don’t think women should be an afterthought, especially when we think about business and how we strategize.

“In all my negotiations with Nike, I was faced with an all-male team who basically told me how to recover from postpartum. There are more women now having a seat at the table and having power, but we There’s still a long way to go.”

One of her responsibilities on the Athletes’ Council is to listen to other athletes and advocate on their behalf.

“If you decide at some point in your career to have children, do it,” she said. “We are working hard to support women who make this choice.”

Felix, who gave birth to her second child this year — her son Trey — has also been outspoken about the disproportionate maternal mortality rate among black women in the United States.

This year, she received a $20 million grant from Melinda Gates to improve maternal health. She did not rule out using the funds to support global projects.

“Most of my experience has been in the United States and within my own community, but I am actively engaging with organizations around the world,” she said.

Black women in the United States are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Implicit bias still exists in our health care system, and we’re not seeing the numbers changing fast enough,” she said.

Felix believes women are often ignored when they bring concerns to their doctors.

“What I’m hearing is, they’re not being heard,” she said. “If we don’t educate our medical professionals, it’s not going to get better.”

Having a daughter makes women’s health issues “very personal,” Felix said.

With abortion rights back in the spotlight after the U.S. presidential election, she believes women should be able to have a choice.

“You know, as parents, we see a lot of things going on in the world, and it’s a scary time,” she said.

“I do think about her and her generation and what they might be missing.”

But she hopes her advocacy will inspire her children for years to come.

“I hope they always know that you should make an impact, you should help people, and you should stand up for what you believe in.”

BBC 100 Women Each year, 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world are selected. Follow BBC 100 Women Instagram and Facebook. Join the conversation using #BBC100Women.