<p>Breastfeeding&nbsp;athletes&nbsp;will be allowed to&nbsp;bring&nbsp;children&nbsp;to the&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;Olympics "when necessary",&nbsp;organisers&nbsp;have announced, after criticism from mothers over tough rules on bringing the family to the Games.</p>

<p>The clarification was welcomed by some&nbsp;athletes&nbsp;as a relief, but US football star Alex Morgan slammed&nbsp;organisers&nbsp;for keeping her in the dark about the criteria.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-may-extend-coronavirus-curbs-into-olympics-period-media-394820">Tokyo may extend coronavirus curbs into Olympics period: Media</a></strong></p>

<p>Athletes' families are banned from attending the pandemic-postponed Games, under anti-virus rules that&nbsp;organisers&nbsp;say are needed to hold the event safely.</p>

<p>But Games chiefs have now made an exception for&nbsp;breastfeeding&nbsp;infants "after careful consideration of the unique situation", saying they will be allowed to accompany their mothers "when necessary".</p>

<p>Nursing&nbsp;children&nbsp;will not be allowed to stay at the Olympic Village though and must stay in private accommodation such as hotels.</p>

<p>Organisers&nbsp;said in a statement late on Wednesday that it was "inspiring that so many&nbsp;athletes&nbsp;with young&nbsp;children&nbsp;are able to continue competing at the highest levels".</p>

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<p>The statement added that they were "committed to doing everything possible to enable them to perform at the&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;2020 Games".</p>

<p>US football star Alex Morgan, whose daughter Charlie turned one in May, said the policy did not go far enough.</p>

<p>"Still not sure what 'when necessary' even means," the twice women's World Cup winner and Olympic gold-medallist, tweeted late Wednesday.</p>

<p>"Is that determined by the mother or the IOC? We are Olympic mothers telling you, it is NECESSARY. I have not been contacted about being able to&nbsp;bring&nbsp;my daughter with me to Japan and we leave in 7 days."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Still not sure what "when necessary" even means. Is that determined by the mother or the IOC? We are Olympic mothers telling you, it is NECESSARY. I have not been contacted about being able to bring my daughter with me to Japan and we leave in 7 days. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USWNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USWNT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamUSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/cNGMt8w0Ss">https://t.co/cNGMt8w0Ss</a></p>
— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexmorgan13/status/1410347760667201538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Athletes&nbsp;had complained about the rules on social media, with Canadian basketball player Kim Gaucher saying she was "being forced to decide between being a&nbsp;breastfeeding&nbsp;mum or an Olympic athlete" in an Instagram video.</p>

<p>But she said she was "so relieved" after hearing about the U-turn.</p>

<p>"Woke up to some big news this morning -- Sophie can come to&nbsp;Tokyo. So relieved that I don't have to make this decision," she said in an Instagram video.</p>

<p>American marathon runner Aliphine Tuliamuk had also voiced her concern about the proposed ban.</p>

<p>"Sometimes I think, what if something horrible happens and I never come back home, like what if I never make it back from&nbsp;Tokyo?" she wrote on Instagram.</p>

<p>"I am sure all moms understand this exact feeling."</p>

<p>Organisers&nbsp;said "suitable measures" would be applied to infants entering Japan for the Games.</p>


Breastfeeding athletes will be allowed to bring children to the Tokyo Olympics "when necessary", organisers have announced, after criticism from mothers over tough rules on bringing the family to the Games.

Breastfeeding athletes will be allowed to bring children to the Tokyo Olympics "when necessary", organisers have announced, after criticism from mothers over tough rules on bringing the family to the Games. The clarification was welcomed by some athletes as a relief, but US football star Alex Morgan slammed organisers for keeping her in the dark about the criteria. Also read | Tokyo may extend coronavirus curbs into Olympics period: Media Athletes' families are banned from attending the pandemic-postponed Games, under anti-virus rules that organisers say are needed to hold the event safely. But Games chiefs have now made an exception for breastfeeding infants "after careful consideration of the unique situation", saying they will be allowed to accompany their mothers "when necessary". Nursing children will not be allowed to stay at the Olympic Village though and must stay in private accommodation such as hotels. Organisers said in a statement late on Wednesday that it was "inspiring that so many athletes with young children are able to continue competing at the highest levels". The statement added that they were "committed to doing everything possible to enable them to perform at the Tokyo 2020 Games". US football star Alex Morgan, whose daughter Charlie turned one in May, said the policy did not go far enough. "Still not sure what 'when necessary' even means," the twice women's World Cup winner and Olympic gold-medallist, tweeted late Wednesday. "Is that determined by the mother or the IOC? We are Olympic mothers telling you, it is NECESSARY. I have not been contacted about being able to bring my daughter with me to Japan and we leave in 7 days." Still not sure what "when necessary" even means. Is that determined by the mother or the IOC? We are Olympic mothers telling you, it is NECESSARY. I have not been contacted about being able to bring my daughter with me to Japan and we leave in 7 days. #Tokyo2020 #USWNT #TeamUSA https://t.co/cNGMt8w0Ss — Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) June 30, 2021 × Athletes had complained about the rules on social media, with Canadian basketball player Kim Gaucher saying she was "being forced to decide between being a breastfeeding mum or an Olympic athlete" in an Instagram video. But she said she was "so relieved" after hearing about the U-turn. "Woke up to some big news this morning -- Sophie can come to Tokyo. So relieved that I don't have to make this decision," she said in an Instagram video. American marathon runner Aliphine Tuliamuk had also voiced her concern about the proposed ban. "Sometimes I think, what if something horrible happens and I never come back home, like what if I never make it back from Tokyo?" she wrote on Instagram. "I am sure all moms understand this exact feeling." Organisers said "suitable measures" would be applied to infants entering Japan for the Games.

Breastfeeding athletes can bring children to Tokyo: Organisers

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Breastfeeding athletes can bring children to Tokyo: Organisers