The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered Lazio Women to pay compensation to former midfielder Maja Gothberg after ruling the Italian club unlawfully ended her employment on the grounds of pregnancy — a verdict the global players' union FifPro has described as "groundbreaking".
Gothberg, a Swedish international, made 29 appearances for Lazio during the 2023-24 season and played a part in the club winning promotion to the Italian top division. The dispute arose at the end of that campaign, when the club entered negotiations over a new contract. Although no formal agreement was signed, WhatsApp messages indicated that key terms had been mutually agreed in principle.
Before those terms were formalised, Gothberg discovered she was pregnant and informed the club — a disclosure she was under no legal obligation to make. Lazio subsequently did not honour the agreement and later claimed it was Gothberg herself who no longer wished to remain at the club, citing a breakdown in relations.
CAS disagreed. The court also found that Lazio had shared information about Gothberg's pregnancy with several team-mates without her consent, a breach of confidentiality under FIFA rules, which classify pregnancy data as confidential medical information. In addition to compensation, Lazio were ordered to pay "moral damages".
The case had initially been rejected by FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber before Gothberg, backed by FifPro and Swedish players' union Spelarforeningen, took it to CAS.
"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."
Why the ruling matters beyond this case
FIFA regulations place the burden of proof on clubs in these situations — they must demonstrate that pregnancy was not the reason for any contract termination. Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, legal director at FifPro, stressed that the ruling carries implications far beyond one player.
"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," she said.
It is not the first time a club has faced legal consequences over maternity issues. In 2023, former Iceland captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir won a claim against Lyon for failing to pay her full salary during pregnancy, with a FIFA tribunal ordering the French club to pay more than 82,000 euros (£72,000) in unpaid salaries — a case FifPro called "landmark" at the time.
What protections currently exist for female players?
FIFA updated its maternity framework in 2024, extending a minimum of 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave to coaches as well as players (coaches had previously been excluded). Both players and coaches receive 100% of their weekly wage and other benefits during that period, before pay drops to the statutory rate — though clubs can opt to continue full pay beyond 14 weeks.
Players are also entitled to request absence from training or matches for menstrual health reasons while retaining full pay, and clubs are permitted to sign replacements outside a transfer window when a squad member takes maternity, adoption or family leave.
In the UK context, former England striker Toni Duggan became the first WSL player to receive maternity pay — while at Everton in 2022. More recently, the Professional Footballers' Association launched a partnership with a fertility clinic to give members access to confidential family-planning guidance and financial discounts on selected treatments.
BBC Sport has contacted Lazio Women for comment. The club had not responded at the time of publication.
FAQs
Frequently asked
- What did the CAS ruling against Lazio Women involve?
- The Court of Arbitration for Sport found that Lazio Women unlawfully ended Swedish midfielder Maja Gothberg's employment after she informed the club she was pregnant. The club was ordered to pay compensation and moral damages, and was also found to have shared her confidential pregnancy information with team-mates without her consent.
- What are FIFA's maternity rights for women footballers?
- Under FIFA's updated 2024 rules, female players and coaches are entitled to a minimum of 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, receiving 100% of their weekly wage during that period. Clubs must also prove that pregnancy was not a factor if they end a player's contract, and clubs can sign cover outside transfer windows when a player takes maternity leave.
- Has a women's football club been punished for a pregnancy dispute before?
- Yes. In 2023, a FIFA tribunal ordered Lyon to pay former Iceland captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir more than 82,000 euros in unpaid salaries after the club failed to pay her full wages during her pregnancy. FifPro described that case as a landmark ruling at the time.