A Legal Milestone for Pregnant Athletes
Maja Göthberg, a former Sweden youth international who once wore the colours of Lazio Women, has emerged victorious in a legal dispute that has sent ripples through the world of women's football.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the Italian club must pay her more than 70,000 euros in compensation after it abruptly halted contract negotiations when it learned she was pregnant, a decision that underscores a growing intolerance for discrimination against expectant athletes.
A precedent with far‑reaching consequences
Göthberg’s season with Lazio in 2023‑24 was marked by contribution to the team’s promotion to the top tier, a performance that made the club’s subsequent decision all the more striking.
Key to the case were WhatsApp messages that revealed club officials were aware of her pregnancy at the time they chose to end the relationship, a fact that the arbitrators highlighted as decisive evidence.
The judgment not only awards financial redress but also establishes a clear precedent that clubs cannot terminate sporting relationships on the basis of pregnancy, while also reinforcing the confidentiality of medical information related to expectant players.