Olympian Blanca Manchón says she was told she was 'too fat' after giving birth and alleges Nike contract contained 'anti‑pregnancy' clause

Blanca Manchón, a Spanish windsurfer who is a multiple world champion and two-time Olympian, said she was told she was "too fat" to compete after giving birth and accused Nike of including an "anti‑pregnancy" clause in her sponsorship contract.

Manchón, 38, told a round table organized by the Spanish Football Federation, titled "Pregnancy, a right classified as a temporary illness," that her career trajectory changed after she became pregnant at 29. She said the pregnancy cost her a place at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and resulted in the loss of commercial backing.

The Seville‑born sailor, who competed at the 2004 Olympics as a 17‑year‑old and returned to the Games in Tokyo in 2021, said she had been among the top three most highly valued athletes in Spain’s sailing federation before becoming pregnant. She said federation officials questioned when she would be ready to compete after the birth of her son Noah in December 2016 and that she faced comments suggesting she had become unfit for elite competition.

"In my federation, the head of Olympic preparation told me, 'Blanca, either you're competing in two months or I can't justify your being on the team,'" Manchón said. She also recounted being advised against entering a championship because, she was told, she was "still too fat." Manchón said those messages left her "freaking out" while coping with postpartum recovery and hormonal changes.

Manchón said Nike, a sponsor of hers for six years, stopped renewing her contract after her pregnancy. She said the company ceased sending clothing, did not respond to renewal inquiries, and that upon re‑examining the small print she found language she described as an "anti‑pregnancy clause." Manchón said the silence and lack of communication compounded the difficulty of returning to elite sport as a mother.

Despite the loss of sponsors, Manchón said she returned to competition swiftly, passing pre‑Olympic selection tests just 12 weeks after giving birth. She went on to compete at the Tokyo Games, marking her first Olympic appearance in 17 years. Her career includes seven world championship titles and a gold medal at the 2018 Mediterranean Games.

Nike was contacted for comment on Manchón’s allegations. In 2019 the company revised its maternity policy after public criticism and high‑profile complaints that it had reduced pay for athletes who became pregnant. Among those who spoke out at the time was U.S. sprinter Allyson Felix, who said Nike proposed reducing her pay by 70 percent while she was pregnant. Nike said in 2019 that it had standardized its approach across sports to ensure female athletes would not be adversely impacted financially by pregnancy and that the policy would be expanded to cover 18 months.

Manchón framed her return to elite sport in social terms as well as competitive. She said she wanted to demonstrate to girls and other athletes that motherhood and high‑level sport are compatible. At the round table she argued that pregnancy and postpartum recovery should be treated as normal and supported rather than stigmatized.

Her account adds to a broader debate in sport about how federations, sponsors and governing bodies support athletes who become pregnant. Advocacy and policy changes in recent years have addressed contractual protections and financial treatment of pregnant athletes, but athletes and campaigners continue to press for clearer, enforceable standards that prevent loss of livelihood and ensure equitable treatment.

Manchón’s testimony follows a pattern recounted by several athletes who have said they were penalized professionally after becoming pregnant. She has said she remained determined to compete as a mother and to use her experience to encourage policy change and greater acceptance within sport.

Nike did not immediately provide a response to requests for comment about Manchón’s specific claims.