Overview
- The Tribunal Arbitrale dello Sport in Lausanne ruled on June 24, 2026 that Lazio Women unlawfully halted a contract renewal after defender Maja Göthberg disclosed a pregnancy and ordered compensation.
- The award requires Lazio to pay €64,000 gross as salary indemnity with 5% annual interest and an additional €5,333 for violation of Göthberg’s personality and privacy rights.
- The tribunal relied in part on WhatsApp messages to show the club was aware of the pregnancy and found the team breached privacy by disclosing medical information to teammates without consent.
- Lazio acknowledged the ruling while saying the case was exceptional, denying bad faith and noting negotiations had been handled through the player’s agent rather than by direct contact with Göthberg.
- Unions including FIFPRO and Sweden’s Spelarforeningen welcomed the decision as a strengthening of FIFA’s maternity protections and the ruling may push clubs to adopt clearer written negotiation processes and privacy safeguards.