FIFA established a foundation for this guide by updating its official global maternity regulations to mandate postpartum medical and training support from clubs.
Envision sharing the news of your pregnancy with your boss, only for their immediate reaction to be taking away your projects, fueling the rumour mill, and forcing you to the sidelines for an entire year.
For decades, this was standard protocol for professional soccer players, rather than just a fear.
As soon as an elite athlete announced her pregnancy, she was viewed more as an injured liability than an expectant mother.
Historically, when an elite player conceived, the institutional default was swift and unyielding: she was benched.
