Lazio Women ordered to pay compensation in pregnancy discrimination case

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has ruled that Lazio Women unlawfully ended the Swedish footballer Maja Göthberg's contract because of her pregnancy, ordering the club to pay compensation, according to the Guardian and BBC Sport. The ruling marks the first successful case brought under FIFA's maternity protection regulations, a framework designed to shield pregnant players from contract termination and discrimination.

Göthberg's case hinged on whether Lazio's decision to end her employment constituted unlawful pregnancy discrimination under international football law. The CAS decision affirms that Italian clubs, like all FIFA member organisations, must comply with maternity protections that prevent clubs from using pregnancy as grounds for contract termination or reduced support. The compensation amount was not disclosed in the initial reporting.