FIFA plans maternity leave for women soccer players
November 19, 2020
Women's soccer players have long been forced to choose between their career and starting a family. The new standards will punish clubs that do not allow players to take time off.
Image: Sven Simon/picture-alliance
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Football's world governing body FIFA announced new rules on Thursday that will allow women coaches and players to seek maternity leave of at least 14 weeks.
"We want to see more women play football but in the same time have a family," said Sarai Bareman, FIFA's chief women's soccer officer.
Under the proposals, clubs cannot lay off a player after they become pregnant. If they do, the club could face financial as well as "sporting" punishments.
"The idea is to protect female players before, during and after child birth," said Emilio Garcia, FIFA's chief legal and compliance officer.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a statement that said the reforms were necessary as women's soccer grows. The sport needed to "adopt a regulatory framework that is appropriate and suitable to the needs of the women's game."
The rule was created with help from the world players' union FIFPro. The measures are expected to be approved by the FIFA Council next month and take effect starting January 1, 2021.
United States forward Alex Morgan, who won the Women's World Cup in 2015 and 2019, signed with London-based Tottenham Hotspur in September, four months after giving birth to her first child. She played her first game earlier this month.
US women's soccer team celebrates World Cup victory in New York
The victorious US women's soccer team have basked in a ticker tape parade in New York. Co-captain Megan Rapinoe led the festivities, saying the team would continue to fight for social justice issues.
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
'Women's rights icons now'
To chants of "equal pay," the US women's soccer team paraded the World Cup trophy through New York's financial district. In a fever pitch of global interest, the team beat The Netherlands 2-0 in the final. "The level of interest and excitement is much higher from four years," said Jessica Lappin, president of the parade's organizers. "That's partly because they're women's rights icons now."
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
Taking the lead
In a fiery speech at the parade, celebrated co-captain Megan Rapinoe described her squad as a mixture of all sorts of characters. But Rapinoe, an outspoken gay activist who has called for greater equality for women, urged supporters to engage their communities at a deeper level. "We have to be better, love more and hate less," Rapinoe said. "This is everyone's responsibility."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Ruttle
Up four the fight
Player of the tournament Megan Rapinoe holds aloft the trophy as teammates celebrate the fourth World Cup triumph by the US women's team. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio presented the ceremonial keys to the city to the players, and stars Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd thanked the country for supporting the team.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/R. Drew
Fighting for equality
Despite their successful performance over the past decades, women do not earn the same on international duty as the US men's team. In March, the women's team sued the US Federation for equal pay. "They play the same game that men soccer players play. They play it better, with better results," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "If there's any economic rationale, the men should get paid less."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/C. Ruttle
'No' to the White House
Even before US President Donald Trump extended an invite to the team, Rapinoe had said she would decline. In an interview on Tuesday, she said she didn't believe anyone else would accept. "I would say that your message is excluding people," she said when asked if she had a message for Trump. "Maybe America is great for a few people right now, but it's not great for enough Americans in this world."
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
Down the hatch
Megan Rapinoe pours champagne as the United States Women's Soccer team ride up the Canyon Of Heroes at a Ticker Tape Parade in New York City. Team USA started celebrating the back-to-back World Cup victories on Sunday. In 2015, they beat Japan in the final, whom they had lost to four years earlier.
Image: picture-alliance/newscom/J. Angelillo
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Looking out for the leader
While the rules will primarily protect women on the pitch, coaches will also receive protection under the proposals.
"FIFA has never taken care of them (coaches) for the last 120 years," Emilio Garcia said, adding that the rules would benefit coaches who worked internationally.
The new rules follow the International Labor Organization standards on maternity leave.
