Women’s football has been on a remarkable upward trend over the past decade, with significant strides towards growth, professionalization and equality.
Domestic and national teams are developing their support staff to develop a better understanding of the female body so that players can play at their peak.
Yet there is often a lack of adequate care and support for athletes who wish to have children before, during and after pregnancy. There are strong disparities in available remuneration and support for athletes depending on the country and league in which they play.
European clubs lag far behind teams in offering maternity pay and care, but recent developments, such as comprehensive guidelines by the Global Union for Professional Footballers, have clarified what they believe is required of players and clubs on pregnancy. .
“There are practical things that we need to normalize, especially in Europe, as players we just feel good playing,” former Lyon and Juventus midfielder Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir explained to DW during the X Spaces discussion.
“We can be comfortable on the pitch and focus 100% when we’re in training, knowing that things are taken care of.
“The normalization of a player with a child and a family is not there yet, because we are just making our first steps in Europe.”
Gunnarsdottir landmark lawsuit victory forced change
The importance of formalizing maternity rights in women’s football in Europe came to the fore when Gunnars Dóttir sued Lyon in 2022.
One of the best French clubs in Europe stopped paying the Icelandic midfielder when she became pregnant in 2021. The Dispute Resolution Chamber heard the lawsuit and ruled in favor of Gunnarsdóttir in January 2023, ordering the club to pay him in full. amount due.
FIFA introduced maternity rules for women players until 2021, but clubs continue to pay players according to local state or country laws, which are often contradictory. Gunnarsdóttir’s case highlights the lack of clear European policies and protections for pregnant athletes.
“In Europe, we’re still not really there when it comes to motherhood,” Gunnarsdottir said. “Obviously, my case in Lyon was not ideal and thus there was no support from the club.
“Clubs are becoming more open to normalizing it, and they’re willing to help and get all the information they need to help the player the best they can, but still, I think as players we need to push for things rather than keeping things organized. Go back, and it’s stressful.”
FIFPRO Act to protect the future of players
Along with United States defender Crystal Dunn and former Jamaican international Cheyenne Matthews, Gunnarsdottir formed the FIFPRO Task Force along with four leading medical experts in women’s football.
They produced a 45-page guide for players, clubs and national teams working on how to best manage pregnancy before taking maternity leave (prepartum), what to expect after childbirth (postpartum) and how best to prepare for a return to football. . Released in August 2024.
Schult, a mother of three, welcomed the advice for expectant mothers.
“The first thing the club needs is not to say: ‘We’ll go over that topic if we have a pregnant woman,’ because that’s too late,” she said. “They should be aware of the subject beforehand: it means they are a professional club, thinking about what they can do to help, and mothers feel they are welcome.”
“These guidelines are very important to try to reduce the pressure on the players,” added Gunnarsdóttir. “If I were to put myself in the player’s position right now after these guidelines came out, I would feel more relaxed and more confident about getting pregnant or wanting to get pregnant.”
Here’s how the NWSL is faring in the US
Unlike Europe, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States has relatively progressive standards for maternity pay and pregnancy care starting in 2022.
Under the NWSL collective bargaining agreement, players are entitled to six months of fully paid maternity leave, which includes medical coverage and continued access to team facilities and resources.
The contract also provides guaranteed job security, meaning players are not at risk of losing their contracts due to pregnancy or maternity leave.
In contrast, many European leagues have no consistent or legally binding framework for maternity pay, leaving players dependent on individual club policies or national labor laws.
“In the US, you have a league that is completely independent,” Dr. Alex Culvin, FIFPRO’s Director of Strategic Relations for Women’s Football, explained. “Clubs and unions in the US, therefore, can develop policies that focus heavily on women’s needs.
“In Europe, where women’s teams are integrated into men’s clubs, historically, men are in the position of power and make decisions that are usually based on the needs and leagues in which their male players play.
“This is where we see the difference between the US and the kind of innovative gender-specific policies they can develop, and Europe, which is very slow and stagnant in developing these player-centered or gender-specific policies. Policies for Women Players.
AC Milan is a model for European clubs to follow
Change is happening, albeit slowly, in Europe. In August 2024, AC Milan, one of Italy’s most famous football clubs, announced major changes to its maternity and pregnancy care policies.
Milan now provides extensive support for pregnant players, including paid maternity leave, medical coverage and the option of remote or modified training sessions to accommodate the player’s health and needs.
Culvin acknowledged that FIFPRO’s guidelines are not in place, but hopes that FIFA’s rules on player status and transfer will take the guidelines onboard and continue to progress, becoming as inclusive and inclusive as possible, enabling women players around the world to have equal access. Maternity care.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
Post Women’s soccer: US shows Europe on maternity care appeared first German wave.