Cuddles on a schedule: Olympic village nursery allows visits from bubs
The Paris Olympics is set to make history as the most parent-friendly games yet, with the first Olympic village nursery where athletes can schedule time with their children during the games.
The nursery will be set up within the Olympic village plaza, separate from the residential area. Carers with pre-approved visitor passes can make bookings to bring in an athlete’s child between 9am and 9pm.
Keesja Gofers and her daughter Teleri.Credit: Gregg Porteous
An Australian Olympic Committee spokesperson said there had already been significant interest among Australians selected to compete.
“Time away from family can be demanding for athletes as they prepare for and compete at an Olympic Games,” the spokesperson said.
“Right now, less than half the expected Australian team has been selected but there has been interest from parents and a number of [nursery] bookings confirmed.”
The spokesperson said the idea for the in-village nursery came from the athletes themselves and was promoted through the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, and supported by the committee.
Australia will send about 500 athletes to compete among 10,500 participants at the Paris games, which kick off on July 11.
Women Sport Australia deputy president Chantella Perera said the Olympic village nursery set a good example for other sporting venues and games.
“It highlights that as a society, we’re recognising the need to support parents and that professional sport is becoming more understanding. This program shows having a child isn’t the end of your career, and that message is super important,” she said.
Perera said the nursery would also alleviate stress among athletes and their children, who might not be used to being apart for so long.
According to the Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, the average ages of male Olympians increased from 25 to 27 and female ages increased from 24 to 26 between 1992 and 2021.
But Perera said it was unlikely a slightly older team was driving the demand for the nursery.
“I would imagine there have been plenty of parents who have attended and would have used the nursery, but instead weren’t able to see their children during the games,” she said.
Speaking with Sunday Life magazine, water polo player Keesja Gofers said even if she only got a few minutes with her 16-month-old daughter Teleri, that was better than nothing.
“I know our time could be limited, but the nursery and village for families and babies is welcome. It’s great to see they’re factoring in the importance of family time,” she said.
“Knowing we can have some time together brings a huge sense of calm for me, especially as I am often coming off a high when competing and all that adrenaline comes to a head when a game is over.”
Football player Katrina Gorry said she couldn’t imagine not having her two-year-old daughter Harper on the sidelines with her.
“Harper made me fall in love with football again, and having someone to make proud and play for has been good for me,” she said.
The Olympic Games run from July 26 to August 11, while the Paralympics run from August 28 to September 8 in Paris, France, and will be streamed on Nine.
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