For the first time the Pan American and Parapan American Games will count with a lactation room exclusively for the athletes that participate during the continental competition. This precinct will be located in the Cerrillos district, a place that will hold the major quantity of the seven thousand athletes and two thousand Para athletes that will be part of Santiago 2023.
The implementation of this space is in line with the gender equality advances in sports promoted by the Chilean State, particularly since the beginning of President Gabriel Boric’s government. Currently, the Scholarship System for High Performance Athletes (Proddar, in Spanish), administered by the National Institute of Sports, protects maternity during pregnancy, breastfeeding and early childhood care, keeping the benefits for the scholarship holder. This started with thirteen users since its creation.
The announcement was made during a ceremony led by the Minister of Sports, Alexandra Benado, who underlined the boost from the State in this topic. “It’s the first time that we’ll have a lactation room during the Pan American and Parapan American Games and we’re very proud because we believe this is the first step and the least that we can provide to our athletes who are mothers” indicated the Minister.
The Sports Minister, Alexandra Benado, explaining the details of the proyect. (Picture: Santiago 2023).
In addition, the Minister of Women and Gender Equity, Antonia Orellana, highlighted the power of sports to break current paradigms. “This is the first step from a long way and it requires the support of international organizations that regulate sport competitions. Their support is important to promote what the Chilean Government, the Santiago 2023 Corporation and the Chilean Olympic Committee have been doing in order to provide equal conditions for women, for which the regulations need to be up to the task” she indicated.
The place will count with all the comfort to generate a pleasant, private, and exclusive environment, protecting the intimacy of women during the extraction of breast milk, which will be an unprecedented fact in this kind of sport events.
ATHLETES WHO ARE MOTHERS: “A HUGE STEP”
The shot put athlete and recent gold medal during the Asuncion 2022 South American Games, Natalia Duco, highlighted the factof having this space but also warned that there are still pending challenges in this matter. “I’m very proud and I wanna congratulate the Ministers who are here today for the efforts that have been made. This huge step is very symbolic, from this moment to the future. There is still a lot to do because the gap between athletes and those who are mothers and are breastfeeding is big, we usually must choose and that cannot happen again.”
Meanwhile, the shot put athlete and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic winner, Francisca Mardones, talked about the support to those couples who are in lactation process, as in her case. “These are my fifth Games and the first time that I’ve seen something like this. In this case, my girlfriend (Fernanda Pantoja) and I will be in Santiago 2023. I’ll be competing and she’ll be coaching, so our little baby will be there with us. This will be an absolutely new experience.”
The Santiago 2023 Games will join nearly 9,000 athletes and Para athletes, from them, it is estimated that half of the total quantity of athletes are women, who will be able to have for the first time a lactation room in the Pan American and Parapan American Village.
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