The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rules that Lazio Women unlawfully end the employment of Swedish midfielder Maja Göthberg because she is pregnant. Multiple outlets report that Göthberg lost her contract after disclosing her pregnancy, and the case hinges on FIFA maternity regulations that were strengthened in 2024. CAS finds the club’s termination is discriminatory and that Lazio Women must compensate the player.
Several reports describe the decision as a landmark precedent. They note it is the first time CAS finds a club ends an employment relationship unlawfully due to pregnancy under FIFA’s maternity rules. The ruling also addresses a contractual detail: CAS backs the player even though she had not signed a proposed new contract at the time of termination.
The Athletic and Football Italia report the compensation amount as more than €69,000. BBC and Yahoo describe the outcome as an order for compensation following a pregnancy-related employment dispute, while The Guardian emphasizes the precedential nature of the ruling under the updated FIFA maternity framework.
