PORTUGAL Trends and Developments Contributed by: Miguel Santos Almeida, Maria Novo Baptista and João Saúde, Sérvulo & Associados
( Fédération Internationale de Football Associa- tion FIFA) in May 2024, which aim to extend the rights of female players in terms of maternity and well-being. Among the measures adopted by FIFA and trans - posed to the Portuguese scenario is the grant - ing of paid leave to adoptive and non-biological mothers. Under this new regulatory framework, players who are non-biological mothers of a child will be able to take eight weeks’ paid leave in the six months following the birth. The length of the leave to be granted to players who adopt a child will vary depending on the age of the child, and may be eight, four or two weeks. In addition, the rights relating to contractual stability and registration periods in the event of maternity have been amended to cover not only biological mothers, but also adoptive and non- biological mothers. The rights of players in the event of maternity have also been clarified, reiterating that players who become pregnant during the term of their employment contract have the right to: • continue to engage in professional activity and receive full remuneration; • request the provision of alternative services to sporting activity; and • take paid sick leave in the event of medical complications associated with pregnancy (including early termination of pregnancy). At the end of maternity leave, the employing club is not only obliged to reintegrate the player into sporting activity but is also now obliged to agree a postpartum plan with the player and provide her with adequate and continuous medical sup - port.
Regarding breastfeeding, it has been clarified that reducing a player’s working hours for this purpose does not imply any reduction in sal - ary, and that the facilities provided by clubs for breastfeeding/breastfeeding must be private and secure. Another important development ushered in by FIFA and adopted by the Portuguese Football Federation concerns the menstrual health of female players. Around 93% of female players experience symptoms during their menstrual cycle that can affect their performance, recov - ery and quality of life; therefore, on presentation of a medical certificate, players are now allowed to be absent from training or matches whenever their menstrual health requires it, without their pay being affected. Most of the special measures applicable to female players will also apply to female coaches, except for the right to request alternative servic - es to sporting activity in the event of pregnancy, which is justified given the different nature of the services provided by coaches. The developments in women’s football will cer - tainly not stop here, as the possibility of intro - ducing a training compensation mechanism for female players is currently being discussed. eSports eSports were a trending topic in Portugal during 2024, with several political parties discussing the need to regulate eSports and to recognise it as a sport. eSports in Portugal have undergone an expo - nential evolution in the last few years, with the emergence of numerous athletes, clubs, coach - es, event organisers, specialised media, enthu - siast communities and national and international
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