SAN FRANCISCO, November 19, (THEWILL) – The international governing body for football FIFA has, for the first time, proposed worldwide maternity regulations for female players and coaches.
This means that players would be entitled to a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity cover while on at least two thirds of their salary. As usual, these proposed regulations will require the approval of the FIFA Council which meets in December.
Emilio Garcia Silver, chief legal and compliance officer at FIFA explained more: “The clubs will not be allowed to terminate the contract of a player on the grounds of a player becoming pregnant.
“If this is the case, we are going to impose not only a fine, and compensation to the player, but also a sporting sanction. We are going to impose a transfer ban on the club. From now on, female players will be better protected.
“We think these rules are common sense. There are some countries in which these rights are already there, but we are trying to regulate this for 211 different territories. These basic conditions will be mandatory from 1 January, 2021.”
These new proposals stipulate that clubs will be “under an obligation to reintegrate” players to the club and provide “adequate ongoing medical support”.
Specifically, the regulations also state that:
• Clubs will be permitted to sign a female player outside of the usual transfer windows in cases where short-term cover is needed to replace a player on maternity leave
• New mothers must be offered the opportunity to breastfeed and/or express milk
When contrasted with the statutory cover available in many countries, FIFA’s proposed minimum of 14 weeks cover does not go very far. In the United Kingdom, for instance, maternity pay is available for up to 39 weeks.
The cover in the UK for those 39 weeks, includes 90% pay for the first six weeks and then £151.20 per week or 90% of average weekly earnings – whichever is lower – for weeks seven to 39.
But, it is better than nothing.
“This is such an impactful and meaningful addition to our sport,” England international Jodie Taylor, a member of the global player council of world players’ union Fifpro, said.
“Women’s footballers need these types of regulations to ensure that we can continue our careers confident that adequate provisions are in place should we decide to have children, which is both reassuring for us as players and reflective of what the professional game needs to keep growing.
“Hopefully this is the beginning of even more progressive and inclusive policies for female players.”
Gabriela Garton, the Argentina goalkeeper expressed similar sentiments: “This is a hugely important and essential step for women’s football – for the players and for the sustainable growth of the game.
“We as players need these types of provisions and protections so that nobody has to choose between starting a family and continuing their football career, as some have had to do in the past.”
For Fifpro’s general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann, “This is only a first step, because these regulations represent a minimum set of protections.
“We will continue to push – internationally and domestically – for more holistic parental policies and even more favourable conditions, such as longer maternity periods and considerations for parents in general.
“No player should face discrimination, and certainly not as a result of pregnancy or for tending to the basic human needs of a mother and her child after giving birth.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
