A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling has ruled in favour of the Swedish defender, Maja Gothberg. The ruling has been appreciated by player advocates and legal experts as an important moment for women’s football and pregnancy-related contract termination.
Gothberg joined the club Lazio in 2023 and the dispute began at the end of the 2023-24 season; she helped the club secure promotion to the Italian Top Division.
CAS declared earlier this month that the Italian club had unlawfully ended her contract after learning about her pregnancy and ordered the club to pay compensation, according to global players’ union FIFPRO. It was also found that the details regarding her pregnancy were disclosed to several of her teammates without her consent.
“This case was never only about football, it was about being treated fairly and with respect at an important moment in my life,” said Gothberg.
“The ruling sends a message that pregnancy should never be treated as a problem or a reason to deny a player labour opportunities.”
The case was taken to CAS after it was rejected by FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC).
In a statement released on June 23, Lazio said they “acknowledged” the findings and described the circumstances around it as “exceptional” and of a “highly specific nature”. Further, they added, “The club will continue to review and strengthen its internal procedures to ensure full alignment with the evolving national and international regulatory framework governing professional sport and employment relations.”
While there was no official contract signed, Maja claimed they had negotiated over a new contract, with WhatsApp messages showing key terms had been agreed upon. Before the contract was formalised, Gothberg learned she was pregnant and informed the club even though she was not legally obliged to do so. After the reveal, the relationship worsened, as Lazio argued that no contract existed and Gothberg wished to no longer continue playing.
FIFA law states that pregnancy must not be the reason for contract termination. Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, legal director for global players’ union FifPro stated, “This case shows that Fifa’s Maternity Regulations are not just words on paper and that they provide real protections for players. The significance of this ruling goes beyond Maja Gothberg and confirms clubs cannot simply walk away from an employment relationship, even if this is not fully formalised, once they learn a player is pregnant.”
In 2023, former Iceland captain, Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir faced a similar situation. She won a claim against Lyon for failure to pay off her full salary during her pregnancy. A FIFA tribunal had ordered them to pay the unpaid salaries of more than 82,000 euros. They were issued a warning by FIFA, had they not paid within 45 days of the decision they would have been given a transfer ban.
Throughout the case, Gothberg was supported by FifPro and Swedish players’ union Spelarforeningen.
