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AC Milan has on Friday announced a new maternity policy that guarantees automatic renewals in the final season contracts of its women’s team.
This is the first among Europe's elite clubs.
Recall that the push for maternity rights in professional women’s sports has gained ground in recent years, with several sports governing bodies, including FIFA, and sponsorship brands introducing new policies to aid early and effective maternity period.
AC Milan said it was introducing a “series of protections during pregnancy and early childhood that go beyond current regulations” for players and staff.
They include an automatic contract renewal for players with a one-year extension, on the same financial terms, if the contract is due to expire during the season in which the pregnancy started.
The club said it would also provide childcare assistance during sports activities, as well as support for flights, accommodation and other travel expenses for children plus one companion.
In January 2021, new maternity rules from FIFA came into force, which it said were needed to reflect the growth of women’s football.
Those regulations imposed on FIFA’s 211 member federations a mandatory maternity leave of at least 14 weeks paid( at least eight weeks after the birth) at a minimum of two-thirds of the player’s contracted salary.
Under the rules, all players have the right to return, with the club under obligation to reintegrate her and provide ongoing medical support.
The FIFA regulations also stipulate that “no female player should ever suffer a disadvantage of any sort on the basis of her pregnancy”, with any contract termination on the basis of pregnancy to be considered without just cause.
Earlier this year, FIFA extended its maternity cover to adoptive parents, calling it a move “to reflect the reality of women’s football and to promote inclusivity by providing protection to female players desiring to have a family”.
