Anti-pregnancy clauses. How to face the eradication of discriminatory practices in female sports?

Abstract

For several years complaints in the media by some female athletes, have been placed on the table the problems related to discriminatory practices against women carried out by some Spanish clubs and federations. Apparently, it is common that in the labor contracts of professional athletes include the so-called «anti-pregnancy clauses». The debate has even reached parliamentary bodies where the opportunity to make certain legislative changes is discussed to eradicate these irregular behaviors that are not compatible with the important achievements of our champions in recent times.
The analysis of these illicit clauses gives us the opportunity to examine the current situation of women’s professional sports in Spain, from the perspective of equality and non-sex discrimination at work, in order to review the normative framework applicable and point out some effective measures that could be carry out.