This week, New York Road Runners (NYRR) – organisers of the New York City Marathon – updated the organisation’s pregnancy and postpartum cancellation policy in an attempt to become a ‘more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and socially responsible organisation’.

It means that the New York City Marathon is now the fifth World Marathon Major to allow women to defer places for pregnancy. But there’s a catch. The policy requires women to pay their entry fee again – $295 for non-NYRR members.

The London, Berlin and Chicago Marathon’s pregnancy deferral policies do not require entrants to pay for their entry fee for a second time, if they choose to defer their place, though the Boston Marathon does.

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‘Pregnant or postpartum athletes will receive non-complimentary guaranteed entry for one of the next three subsequent NYRR races for which they originally registered,’ the policy reads.

This includes its other events – the RBC Brooklyn Half and the United Airlines NYC Half. So if an athlete is registered for one of these events and becomes pregnant, or is postpartum, and their cancellation request is approved, they can then choose to register for either the 2024, 2025 or 2026 events. But they will be required to pay for it, on top of what they have already paid for their original place. There also isn’t the option for athletes to pull out of the race altogether and get their money back – all race fees are non-refundable.

SheRaces, a campaign group founded by ultramarathon runner Sophie Power, who was famously photographed racing the UTMB, a 106-mile mountain race whilst breastfeeding her three-month-old baby, has taken to Instagram to call out the NYRR for their inequitable policy.

She highlights that the requirement to pay twice could lead to women choosing to race when not ready – for example, too soon after having their baby or while pregnant – due to the financial implication of deferring.

‘We have to pay again. Almost $300. A financial penalty for having a baby. A reason some women will race when not ready rather than lose their fee,’ wrote Power.

‘We’d hoped it was established now that this wasn’t fair. It isn’t truly supporting women. It’s not equitable, inclusive or socially responsible as they claim.

‘In fact, it’s a new way to make money as they can oversell places knowing some will be deferred and paid twice.’

The Boston Marathon changed its pregnancy policy in January days after RW cover star Fiona English took to Instagram to pen an open letter to the Boston Athletics Association, urging them to reconsider her appeal to defer her place – and their policy – when she discovered she was pregnant and would be due to give birth two days before the event in 2023, making it impossible for her to take part.

Pregnant or postpartum athletes can now defer their Boston Marathon place for up to two years but, like entrants into the New York City Marathon, will have to pay for a second time.

The Tokyo Marathon is the only World Marathon Major that has yet to change its pregnancy policy to allow deferrals.

For more on the New York City Marathon’s updated policy, check the NYRR guidelines and procedures.