Maternity leave.. Germany uses FIFA regulations for pregnant players and mothers | sports

The German Football Association has strengthened its protection for pregnant players and mothers by fully adopting the regulations set by FIFA.

FIFA regulations set a global standard to protect the working conditions of female players, while the German Football Association said on Wednesday that this would add to the regulations of the national labor law that it has implemented.

Female footballers in many countries have been fighting to gain more legal protection for themselves.

Maternity leave for female players

Under FIFA’s 2020 regulations, female players are entitled to at least 14 weeks of maternity leave, during which they must receive at least two-thirds of their salaries. Clubs also cannot terminate contracts due to players becoming pregnant.

Last year, FIFA ordered the French club Olympique Lyonnais to pay more than 80,000 euros ($84,000) to its player, Sarah Björk Gunnarsdottir, after a ruling was issued against the club, which withheld parts of its player’s salary after the Icelandic national team star announced that she was pregnant.

The German Football Association had already adopted most of FIFA’s regulations and offered assistance in various aspects to players and pregnant mothers, and former German national team players Almuth Schulte, Melanie Leupolz and Svenja Huth were taking their children with them on national team trips.