FIFA plans maternity leave for women soccer players

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 approves

The move is considered a step towards increasing the professionalization of women's soccer in the world, and respecting players' and coaches' lives following a successful 2019 Women's World Cup and more investment from major clubs in their women's division.

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.

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. 

kbd/rt (AFP, AP, dpa)