Lazio to pay compensation in pregnancy dispute case
Lazio Women have been ordered to pay compensation to former midfielder Maja Gothberg because they unlawfully ended her employment due to pregnancy.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruled in favour of the Swedish player in what global players' union FifPro called a "groundbreaking" maternity case.
Gothberg will also receive "moral damages" from Lazio.
The Italian club were also found to have disclosed information about Swedish midfielder Gothberg's pregnancy to several team-mates without her consent.
"This case was never only about football, it was about being treated fairly and with respect at an important moment in my life," said Gothberg.
"The ruling sends a message that pregnancy should never be treated as a problem or a reason to deny a player labour opportunities."
The dispute was taken to Cas after Gothberg's case was initially rejected by Fifa's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC).
BBC Sport has contacted Lazio Women for a comment.
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How the case unfolded
The dispute began at the end of the 2023-24 season, in which Gothberg made 29 appearances and helped the club secure promotion to the Italian top division.
She claimed the club had entered negotiations over a new contract and although it was not formally signed, Whatsapp messages showed key terms had been agreed.
Before formalising the contract, Gothbert learned she was pregnant and informed the club - though she was not legally obliged to do this.
Lazio did not fulfil the agreement in principle and later claimed Gothberg no longer wished to continue playing at the club as the relationship broke down.
According to Fifa law, clubs must prove pregnancy is not the reason for contract termination, while pregnancy information is deemed confidential medical data.
"This case shows that Fifa's Maternity Regulations are not just words on paper and that they provide real protections for players," said Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, legal director for global players' union FifPro.
"The significance of this ruling goes beyond Maja Gothberg and confirms clubs cannot simply walk away from an employment relationship, even if this is not fully formalised, once they learn a player is pregnant."
Gothberg received support and representation from FifPro and Swedish players' union Spelarforeningen throughout the case.
In 2023, former Iceland captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir won a claim against Lyon for failing to pay her full salary during pregnancy.
A Fifa tribunal ordered French side Lyon to pay unpaid salaries of more than 82,000 euros (£72,000). Fifpro called it a "landmark" case at the time.
Lyon were warned by Fifa that if they did not pay within 45 days of the decision then they would have been given a transfer ban.
What maternity rights exist?
In 2024, Fifa made changes to further protect female footballers and coaches during and after pregnancy, as well as in non-biological motherhood such as adoption.
The improved framework included the addition of a minimum of 14 weeks paid maternity leave for coaches, having previously been in place for just players.
Players and coaches are paid 100% of their weekly wage, as well as any other remuneration and benefits, before dropping to the statutory rate after 14 weeks.
However, clubs can choose to pay full wages for a longer term if they wish.
Former England striker Toni Duggan became the first Women's Super League player to receive maternity pay while at Everton in 2022.
If choosing to adopt, players and coaches can be granted a period of leave that ranges depending on their child's age, while family leave is available for parents who are not the biological mother.
Clubs can sign players outside of a transfer window if a squad member has taken maternity, adoption or family leave.
Players are also entitled to request absence from training or matches because of menstrual health reasons, while still receiving full pay.
In 2024, BBC Sport revealed that clubs received new guidelines from FifPro on how they could support players on their return from childbirth.
The guidelines covered a range of topics including fitness, nutrition and childcare.
Last month, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) launched a partnership with a fertility clinic to offer members access to confidential and expert guidance on family-planning, as well as financial discounts towards selected treatments.
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