By Canadian Press

IOC says yes to babies at Olympics; Gaucher able to bring daughter Sophie with her

Jun 30, 2021 | 9:47 AM

Canadian Kim Gaucher has won in her quest to bring baby Sophie to the Tokyo Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee says it will now allow breastfeeding moms to bring their children to Tokyo.

The news comes after Gaucher, a member of Canada’s women’s basketball team, made an emotional plea via Instagram to have three-month-old daughter Sophie travel with her to the Games.

Gaucher, a 37-year-old from Mission, B.C., said the IOC was forcing her to make a tough choice: skip the Olympics, or spend 28 days in Tokyo without her daughter, who she is still breastfeeding.

“We very much welcome the fact that so many mothers are able to continue to compete at the highest level, including at the Olympic Games,” the IOC says in a statement. “We are very pleased to hear that the Tokyo 2020 organizing Committee has found a special solution regarding the entry to Japan for mothers who are breastfeeding and their young children.”

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The IOC had stipulated that no family could travel to Tokyo due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Gaucher will compete in her third Olympics in Tokyo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2021.

The Canadian Press