London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 23, 2025

England women's players to receive maternity cover

England women's players to receive maternity cover

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) announced a new maternity leave policy on Thursday, entitling contracted England women's players to 26 weeks of fully paid leave and funds for children under a year old to travel with them to games.
The policy, which the RFU described as "ground breaking", also offers pregnant players the opportunity to move into other employment within rugby until they go on maternity leave.

"I am confident that the policy will help normalise motherhood in sport and give players the best possible chance of returning to play... in a secure and safe way," said England lock Abbie Ward, who announced her pregnancy last month.

The issue of maternity leave for professional athletes has gradually come into sharper focus in recent years.

Tennis star Serena Williams was denied a seeding at the 2018 French Open when she returned to competition after the birth of her daughter, leading to widespread criticism of the tournament organisers.

By the end of the year, the Women's Tennis Association had changed its rules on maternity leave to offer players returning from pregnancy not just a protected ranking, but also a protected seeding.

In 2019, sportswear giant Nike (NKE.N) introduced a new maternity policy for all its sponsored athletes, guaranteeing pay and bonuses for 18 months around pregnancy.

The changes at Nike were sparked by criticism from six-time Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix, who made headlines when she revealed her longtime sponsor wanted to pay her 70% less after she had her first child.

World soccer governing body FIFA introduced 14 weeks of maternity leave in 2020, the same year that the Women's National Basketball Association announced fully paid maternity leave as part of its collective bargaining agreement for the first time.

The RFU added that if contracts were renegotiated or extended during the player's pregnancy or maternity leave, the player would have to be included in discussions and have their contract extended for at least 12 months.

Rugby Players' Association general secretary Christian Day described the new policy as a "significant step forward" for the women's game in England.

"This new policy ensures that our women's players will be better supported through parenthood when representing England," Day said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
×