Boston Marathon to allow pregnant and postpartum runners to defer entry

On Jan. 24, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced a new policy for pregnancy deferral for accepted entries to the Boston Marathon and all other B.A.A. races.

The new policy will allow registered and eligible runners who are “expecting or have recently welcomed a child into their families” to receive a deferred entry into one of the next two editions of the race for which they were registered.

The B.A.A. has announced accommodation enhancements pertaining to runners who are expecting/have recently welcomed a child into their families. Pregnancy & postpartum deferrals of entries will now be available for participants at all B.A.A. events.

🔗 https://t.co/1dg18CGIKH pic.twitter.com/wPPrrm2hjG

— Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) January 24, 2023

The new pregnancy and postpartum deferral policy is effective immediately, and includes athletes who are entered in the Boston Marathon by way of qualifying time or invitational entry, according to B.A.A. officials.

“In listening to our participants and stakeholders, the desire from mothers and expecting mothers to participate in our races–particularly the Boston Marathon—while also focusing on building a family was clear,” said Jack Fleming, president of the B.A.A. in a press release. “Women who are entered in a B.A.A. race and want to expand their family will be able to do just that without giving up a chance to participate at a future B.A.A. event.”

The policy was made four days after one British qualifier’s Instagram post went viral, pointing out that the race’s previous policy did not allow for deferrals. 

Fiona English, 34, has spent years trying to qualify for Boston, and finally earned a spot in the 2023 race, but there was a slight hiccup—she’s pregnant and due to give birth two days before the race on April 17. When she was told she couldn’t defer her entry or get her money back, she openly questioned the policy put in place by race organizers in an Instagram post on Jan. 20. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by fiona english (@englishruns)

Now athletes seeking a pregnancy or postpartum deferral may submit a request in writing to registration@baa.org any time between receiving confirmation of acceptance into the event and up to 14 days before race day.

“We did it! Thank you to each and every one of you that helped make this happen,” wrote English in an Instagram post. “Pregnancy and postpartum deferrals now exist at Boston Marathon.”