Spanish women’s international players will be offered free reproductive health options like IVF and egg freezing by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) as a way to improve the work-life balance of female footballers.
“It is an innovative agreement (for a federation) at a global level,” said RFEF president Rafael Louzán of the deal which runs until 2029.
Louzan stressed that the agreement, which began to take shape in conversations with Spain’s internationals, is another step forward in work-life balance measures implemented by the RFEF.
Spain’s federation has sought to reform after years of strained relations with the women’s national team.
The deal covers services ranging from providing information on assisted reproduction to various treatments such as egg freezing or in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
The agreement retroactively covers, from April last year, all players who have been called up for at least two matches with La Roja, as well as referees, RFEF employees, and women’s futsal internationals.
The RFEF will cover the cost of egg freezing for the players, initially providing for the preservation of the eggs for five years.
The goal of the deal is that “during the athletes’ most fertile years, they are protected, have access to information, and we can meet their needs,” said the RFEF’s director of women’s football, Reyes Bellver.
The presentation of the agreement was attended by internationals Patri Guijarro and Olga Carmona on Tuesday.
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“It’s a very important step for us,” said Carmona, scorer of the goal that won Spain the 2023 World Cup final against England.
For her teammate Guijarro, the agreement is important so that “athletes don’t have to choose between their personal life and their sporting life”.
In some quarters, the agreement has been criticised, with people arguing that the emphasis should be placed more on protective measures that allow an athlete to become a mother when she wishes, rather than resorting to assisted reproduction.
The RFEF’s initiative follows similar moves by some clubs, including English side Chelsea.
Spanish women’s national team players had been at loggerheads with the RFEF for a long period over treatment and conditions when things came to a head after the World Cup final in August 2023.
Disgraced former RFEF president Luis Rubiales kissed striker Jenni Hermoso on the lips without her consent after Spain won the trophy.
Rubiales stepped down in September 2023 after FIFA suspended him following worldwide outrage, and the players demanded extensive change.
