When the Paris Olympics begins later this month, it will achieve a family-friendly first: Organizers will make history by offering a nursery in the Olympic Village to athletes with young kids.
Legendary U.S. runner Allyson Felix helped oversee the nursery project through her work on the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission.
She told CBS News that she’s thrilled about making life a little easier for Olympians who are moms.
“I think it really tells women that you can choose motherhood and also be at the top of your game and not have to miss a beat,” Felix said.
The nursery, which was created in partnership with Pampers, will include a space for breastfeeding, a play area and a place to change diapers, among other amenities.
Can you visit the Olympic Village?
The Olympic Village serves Olympic athletes and staff members. It’s not open to fans, and it’s also not open to most family members of the athletes.
“Children and families are generally not allowed inside the Olympic Village. French Olympic organizers said ‘the village must remain a preserved place, where only athletes and staff coexist in a performance dynamic,’” according to The Washington Post.
The new nursery initiative will create a space for young children in the nonresidential part of the Olympic Village. Athletes and their babies and toddlers, as well as the children’s “dedicated caregivers,” will have access to the area from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time each day of the Olympics, according to the website for the Games.
“To use the space, (athletes) need to request a guest pass for your child and their dedicated caregiver,” the website explains.
Olympic village amenities
The Olympic Village in Paris will offer athletes a variety of amenities, including a hair salon and post office, according to Forbes.
While the rooms are pretty basic — they feature beds made of cardboard and have no kitchens — Olympians will be able to access a variety of food at nearby canteens.
“Athletes can expect lots of omelettes and, if the training diet allows, pastries. It’s expected that 40,000 meals will be served daily and there will also be lots of ‘grab and go’ points where athletes can eat on the fly, but there will be no alcohol provided,” Forbes reported.
Where is the Olympic Village in Paris?
The Olympic Village for athletes who are competing in the Paris Olympics is in the northern part of the city.
It’s “spread across three towns called Saint-Denis, Saint-Ouen and l’Ile-Saint-Denis ... about 6 miles (9 km) from the city center, on the banks of the river Seine,” per Forbes.
Athletes will have access to electric bikes and shuttle buses, which will take them around the Olympic Village and to their training sites.
The 2024 Olympics begin on Friday, July 26, and end on Sunday, Aug. 11.