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When Bobbi Gibb snuck her way into the Boston Marathon in 1966, disguised in her brother’s hooded sweatshirt and shorts, women were not permitted to compete in long distance or endurance events, including the Boston Marathon. The thought (perpetuated by male doctors and researchers) was that women were not physiologically able to run such long distances, and such exertion would damage a woman’s ability to have babies.  

Since 1966, there has been remarkable progress. Now, women are not only running marathons and beyond, but they are also doing so at the highest level — sometimes while pregnant or breastfeeding — challenging long-standing assumptions about their capabilities.

Research driven by personal experience

For U��֦��Ƶ researcher Dr. , PhD, exploring gender inequities in sport stems from her personal experiences as a high-performance athlete and coach, as well as the challenges she sees many girls, including her own daughters, facing in their sport journeys. 

“The gender inequities I experienced more than 30 years ago are similar to the ones girls are facing today, which highlights persistent systemic issues around participation of women and girls in all roles and levels of sports,” says McHugh, a professor in the and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Gender Equity in Sport and Physical Activity.  

To further advance participation and equitable involvement of women and girls in sports, coaches and sport organizations — from community clubs to national teams — need to address unique considerations around body image, menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and parenting within sport contexts.   

Paris Olympics a good start, but work still needs to be done

As we watch this year’s Winter Olympics, we may hear about or see athletes competing while pregnant or with small children with them in Italy. It was only during the 2024 Paris Olympics that accommodations such as were provided to support parenting athletes, an important step in the pursuit of true gender equity. 

Although the Paris Games are described as the most gender-equal in terms of participation, McHugh argues that true equity goes beyond numbers. Women’s pathways to elite sport differ from men’s, and pregnant and parenting athletes face distinct, systemic barriers — from minimal breastfeeding support to restrictive accreditation policies.   

"The introduction of a nursery at the Paris Olympics was a positive but limited step, and there is some concern about similar provisions at the upcoming Olympics due to logistical challenges specific to Milano Cortina,” explains McHugh.   

For many high-performance athletes, simply returning to competition after pregnancy is a challenge.   

“The previous funding model with Sport Canada didn’t have a pregnancy card. If an athlete were pregnant, they had to use their injury card,” explains McHugh. “You can imagine the challenges that go with that — you come back to sport after pregnancy and start competing again, and you get injured. Well, your injury card has been used, so what are your options?”   

Working with , PhD, a professor in the at the University of Alberta, McHugh has interviewed athletes over the past five years to bring about change at a national level.   

“Thanks to our research, Sport Canada added a pregnancy card in 2025, as well as new supplemental funding for new parents, recognizing the additional challenges athletes face when returning to sport with a child under 12 months of age," says McHugh. "These policy changes now provide tailored funding and flexibility, supporting a smoother transition for athletes during and after pregnancy.”

Role of coaches in driving change  

The success of pregnant or parenting athletes also depends on coaching as well as medical and support staff, notes McHugh, adding that it’s important for coaches and integrated support teams to understand the most up-to-date evidence on training and guidance.   

“We’re developing an International Olympic Committee consensus statement on athletes during pregnancy and postpartum, which will present current research and evidence to support pregnant and parenting athletes,” she says.

McHugh and her team have heard countless examples of athletes who will say they’ve experienced doubt from their coaching staff or managers about their longevity in sport and competition because they’re a certain age or going to have a baby soon.   

“We need to change that narrative and recognize that women are performing at their highest levels and breaking world records after having children,” says McHugh. 

“Having a baby does not mean the end of an athletic career.”