Footballers at Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim have planning security with pregnancy from the coming season: the working paper will be extended in the last year of the contract.
TSG Hoffenheim ensures a novelty in German football and protects its Players in the event of pregnancy in the last contract year. This puts a “exclamation of professional sports and family”, it said in a message from the association.
According to this, a contract in the event of pregnancy will be extended by one more constant economic conditions for another year, the association said. This would have planning security. “This step is logical for us as a club, because in recent years more and more professional footballers have decided to start a family during their active career,” said Ralf Zwanziger, head of women’s and girls’ football at TSG.
Measures in Norway, USA and Italy
In the USA and the Italian Association AC Milan and in Norway there are already supportive measures for players who expect young people. Among other things, collective agreements apply there. Professional players can also build on grants for childcare.
“With this regulation, we as TSG are closing the gap that is currently still between FIFA requirements, DFB implementations and the work reality of footballers,” said TSG Managing Director Markus Schütz.
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Almut Schult welcomes Hoffenheim decision
The former national goalkeeper and Olympic champion Almuth Schult welcomes the decision of the Hoffenheim club leadership. In her function as a member of the advisory board of the “Football can” (FKM) initiative, she said: “With TSG Hoffenheim, a German club finally dares to do this advance, I am very happy about it. As a mother, I can say that this player gives security and support that you want.” The association underlines the importance of the topic of mothers in sport and that changes are needed, according to Schult. “I hope that many clubs from the TSG will follow.”
