New FIFA Rules Propose Mandatory Maternity Leave For Women Players

On Thursday, FIFA announced that under the new regulations the world soccer’s governing body will introduce regulations to protect the rights of women, including mandatory maternity leave.

“We want to see more women being able to earn a living playing football". Photo: Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) is preparing to make it mandatory for the clubs to allow at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave at a minimum of two-thirds of a player’s full salary. In addition to that, the new regulations state that once the female players are back on the field after their maternity leave, clubs must reintegrate female players and provide adequate physical and medical support.

The reforms, which have been put forward by FIFA’s Football Stakeholders Committee(FSC), will go to FIFA’s Council next month for approval and would most probably take effect from January 1, 2021.

The new proposal says that any club that ended a player’s contract for becoming pregnant will have to pay compensation and a fine. Moreover, it will be banned from the transfer market for one year.

FIFA has taken up this move in order to live up to its aim to create “new global minimum standards” for female players all over the world, given the rapid emergence of new leagues and clubs globally.

The new regulations also state that once the female players are back on the field after their maternity leave, clubs must reintegrate female players and provide adequate physical and medical support.

Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer said, “As we try to accelerate the professionalisation of the women’s game, which is one of our strategic objectives, it is really important that we evolve and adapt the regulatory framework around the game at the same time. This is a very good example,” Reuters reported.

Bareman further added, “We want to see more women being able to earn a living playing football whilst at the same time being able to have a family life and being mothers. It is important that we provide the necessary regulatory framework to protect those women.” SheThePeople