IRONMAN has updated its pregnancy and parenthood policy for the IRONMAN® and IRONMAN® 70.3® triathlon series.
Athletes who become pregnant after registering for an event are now able to defer to the same event for up to two years (previously one year). This change has been made to better accommodate individual and unique circumstances for recovery postpartum and ensure athletes do not feel pressured to return to race when they are not ready, or comfortable, to do so.
IRONMAN’s original pregnancy policy, which was published in 2021 in consultation with Victoria Evans, a qualified sports lawyer and passionate advocate for women in sport, also takes into account athletes who are adopting or birthing via surrogacy, and athletes with a pregnant partner. The title of the policy has now been updated to ‘Pregnancy and Parenthood’ to be more inclusive of growing families.
Athletes who are adopting or birthing via surrogacy will be eligible to defer their entry to the same event the following year with proof of surrogacy birth or adoption within three months prior to event date. Athletes who have a partner that is pregnant will also be able to defer to the same event the following year, with proof of due date or delivery on or within one month prior, or two months post-event date.
Commenting on the new update to the Pregnancy and Parenthood Policy, Victoria Evans remarks: “It’s fantastic to see IRONMAN continuing to seek to ensure that their events are a level playing field for all participants. Their introduction of the initial deferral policy was a proactive step towards real change, and these further developments only build on that growth by giving athletes the time needed to be in a position to fully perform. Driving equity is an ongoing process and it is refreshing to see IRONMAN engaging with their community and acting on the feedback provided”
Scott DeRue, Chief Executive Officer of The IRONMAN Group commented: “We’ve been spending time engaging with our communities and doing a lot of listening. Our pregnancy and parenthood policy came up as an area where we can improve our efforts to support our athletes. Participating in triathlon and IRONMAN events is something we want to make accessible at all stages of our athletes’ lives and this is a strong step towards providing flexibility and removing barriers to racing. This change is a testament to both our athlete community feedback, and our team that continue to review our entire athlete experience and determine areas where we can be better. We know there is more work to be done and look forward to crafting that future path with the collaboration and support of our community.”
