Lazio to pay compensation in pregnancy dispute case

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Swedish midfielder Maja Gothberg spent one season at Lazio in 2023-24 By Emma Sanders BBC Sport women’s football news reporter Published 11 minutes ago Lazio Women have been ordered to pay compensation to former midfielder Maja Gothberg because they unlawfully ended her employment due to pregnancy. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) ruled in favour of the Swedish player in what global players' union FifPro called a "groundbreaking" maternity case. Gothberg will also receive "moral damages" from Lazio. The Italian club were also found to have disclosed information about Swedish midfielder Gothberg's pregnancy to several team-mates without her consent. "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." The dispute was taken to Cas after Gothberg's case was initially rejected by Fifa's Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC). BBC Sport has contacted Lazio Women for a comment. 'I couldn't really speak about it' - a decision dividing the WSL Published 3 April 2024 'I had to tell club about pregnancy before my mum' Published 14 November 2022 How the case unfolded The dispute began at the end of the 2023-24 season, in which Gothberg made 29 appearances and helped the club secure promotion to the Italian top division. She claimed the club had entered negotiations over a new contract and although it was not formally signed, Whatsapp messages showed key terms had been agreed. Before formalising the contract, Gothbert learned she was pregnant and informed the club - though she was not legally obliged to do this. Lazio did not fulfil the agreement in principle and later claimed Gothberg no longer wished to continue playing at the club as the relationship broke down. According to Fifa law, clubs must prove pregnancy is not the reason for contract termination, while pregnancy information is deemed confidential medical data. "This case shows that Fifa's Maternity Regulations are not just words on paper and that they provide real protections for players," said Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, legal director for global players' union FifPro. "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." Gothberg received support and representation from FifPro and Swedish players' union Spelarforeningen throughout the case. In 2023 , former Iceland captain Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir won a claim against Lyon for failing to pay her full salary during pregnancy. A Fifa tribunal ordered French side Lyon to pay unpaid salaries of more than 82,000 euros (£72,000). Fifpro called it a "landmark" case at the time. Lyon were warned by Fifa that if they did not pay within