Swedish footballer Maja Göthberg has won her legal battle against Lazio after the Italian club terminated her contract due to her pregnancy. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered the club to pay Göthberg compensation and moral damages, ruling that the termination was illegal and discriminatory.
The incident occurred in the summer of 2024. Following a successful 2023/24 season where Göthberg played 29 matches and helped the team secure promotion to the top Italian women’s league, she discovered she was pregnant. She informed the club, although not legally obligated to do so. Subsequently, contract negotiations for a new deal, which had been progressing positively, abruptly ceased.
No new contract was signed, and Lazio claimed Göthberg had chosen not to play for them, a statement she refutes. Göthberg asserts that the club rescinded her contract upon learning of her pregnancy and also disclosed this confidential medical information to others, including fellow players. Without a formal contract document, the club’s defense relied on WhatsApp communications.
“This case was never just about football; it was about being treated fairly and with respect at an important time in my life. This decision sends a clear message that pregnancy should never be seen as a problem or a reason to deny a player the opportunity to play,” Göthberg stated.
Göthberg was represented in her case by the Swedish players’ union, Spelarforeningen, and FIFPRO, the global players’ union. “This case shows that FIFA’s Maternity Regulations are not just words on paper and offer real protection to players,” commented Alexandra Gomez Bruinewoud, FIFPRO’s Legal Director. “The significance of this decision goes beyond Maja Göthberg’s individual case and confirms that clubs cannot simply end a working relationship, even if it’s not fully formalized, as soon as they find out a player is pregnant.”