For the first time in Olympic and Paralympic history, the village for athletes will include a nursery to provide a “comfortable and convenient” environment for athlete parents to spend time with their children during the Games.
The Olympic Village Nursery will provide up to 22,250 of the athletes and staff in the Olympic and Paralympic Village with complimentary services, products such as nappies and a space for “playtime and family bonding”.
The nursery forms part of an ongoing commitment from the IOC and IOC Athletes’ Commission to ensure parent athletes are cared for and supported at the Games.
On Tuesday, global consumer goods company P&G announced it will sponsor the new Olympic Village Nursery across Paris 2024 through its leading brand Pampers.
“Many athletes are balancing their sporting careers and family. I know how this feels as I competed at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games as a mother with a young child,” said IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Emma Terho.
“Pregnancy and motherhood don’t have to mean a career end for female athletes.”
“It is very helpful for both parents and infants to be able to spend time together, especially at such an important moment in an athlete’s sporting life. This nursery allows that to happen, while also giving athletes the opportunity to focus on the Games.”
The nursery will be located in the non-residential area in the Olympic Village Plaza, open from 9am to 9pm daily for visitors with a guest pass.
Applauding the move from P&G, two-time Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill believes the addition of a nursery will help spark important conversations around being an athlete and starting a family.
“I think that is something that is not spoken about enough– how do our bodies change as women in sports? What differences do we have? How could we put more research into understanding,” Ennis-Hill told Olympics.com, noting that she went through her own journey with this as an athlete with a son.
“We are slowly talking more and more about it– there are more athletes coming out and speaking openly about it– but I think it is a conversation that is really important and we should feel comfortable having it.”
Along with the nursery, P&G plans to launch several Olympic-themed marketing initiatives for its brand.
These include Always and Tampax, which will provide complimentary period protection products in the restrooms across the Athletes’ Village. The campaign is aimed at addressing and eliminating period anxiety in the sporting world.