General view of the outskirts of the stadium prior to during a pre-season friendly match between AC Milan and Real Madrid at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, the United States on July 31, 2024. (AFP/Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
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C Milan announced on Friday a new maternity policy that guarantees automatic renewals in the final season contracts of its women's team, calling it a first among Europe's elite clubs.
A push for maternity rights in professional women's sports has gained momentum in recent years, with several sports governing bodies, including FIFA, and sponsorship brands introducing new policies.
AC Milan said it was introducing a "series of protections during pregnancy and early childhood that go beyond current regulations" for players and staff.
They include an automatic contract renewal for players with a one-year extension, on the same financial terms, if the contract is due to expire during the season in which the pregnancy started.
The club said it would also provide childcare assistance during sports activities, as well as support for flights, accommodation and other travel expenses for children plus one companion.
In January 2021, new maternity rules from FIFA came into force, which it said were needed to reflect the growth of women's football.
Those regulations imposed on FIFA's 211 member federations a mandatory maternity leave of at least 14 weeks paid, at least eight weeks after the birth, at a minimum of two-thirds of the player's contracted salary.
Under the rules, all players have the right to return, with the club under obligation to reintegrate her and provide ongoing medical support.
The FIFA regulations also stipulate that "no female player should ever suffer a disadvantage of any sort on the basis of her pregnancy", with any contract termination on the basis of pregnancy to be considered without just cause.
Earlier this year, FIFA extended its maternity cover to adoptive parents, calling it a move "to reflect the reality of women's football and to promote inclusivity by providing protection to female players desiring to have a family".
Nike was widely criticized in 2019 for its policy of cutting female athletes' pay during and after pregnancy.
Elite athletes such as six-time Olympic gold medalist track and field star Allyson Felix spoke out against the policy, leading the sporting goods giant to waive its performance-pay reductions for 12 months for athletes who have a baby.
Other organizations that have introduced maternity policies include the WTA, which in 2019 changed its ranking system to accord top-ranked players returning from pregnancy a "special ranking" to qualify for tournaments, and the English Rugby Football Union.