CAS orders Lazio Women to pay £60,000 after landmark pregnancy discrimination ruling

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered Lazio Women to pay Swedish footballer Maja Göthberg more than €70,000 (£60,000) in salary compensation and damages after ruling the Italian club discriminated against her on the grounds of pregnancy. The verdict, published on Wednesday by global players’ union Fifpro, marks a significant legal precedent for women’s football.

Göthberg, 28, had played a central role in Lazio Women’s promotion to the top tier of Italian football during the 2023-24 season. During negotiations for a new contract — valued at a gross salary of €64,000 (£55,000) — she informed the club of her pregnancy. According to the CAS ruling, “immediately afterwards, the relationship broke down”, with Lazio Women subsequently claiming no contract existed and that Göthberg no longer wished to continue.

The award covers salary compensation, damages for “infringement of her personality rights”, and five per cent interest accrued over the past two years. Göthberg had initially lost her claim at a Fifa tribunal, which concluded she had “failed to establish that the parties had concluded an employment contract.” Her successful appeal to CAS was supported in part by WhatsApp messages exchanged during negotiations that clearly demonstrated the club’s awareness of her pregnancy.

Fifpro’s Legal Director, Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, said: “The significance of this ruling goes beyond Maja Göthberg 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.”

The union added that the ruling also establishes an important precedent around the confidentiality of pregnancy-related medical information, clarifying that players are protected once essential contract terms have been agreed and both parties are acting as though a contract is in place.

Göthberg won the Under-19 European Championships with Sweden in 2014 but has yet to earn a senior international cap.