Parliament approves maternity support for athletes up to one year after childbirth

On Friday 16 October, Parliament approved in the generality bills from the PS and Chega to strengthen maternity protection for high-performance athletes, professional sportswomen, and national team members. The PS bill introduces a monthly IPDJ allowance equivalent to the Social Support Index (IAS) for 360 days following childbirth, guarantees the maintenance of athletic status and financial support, counts the period as active career time, and sets fines between 500 and 50,000 euros for non-compliant clubs. The Chega bill extends IPDJ support up to 120 days for high-performance athletes without a sports contract and extends professional contracts by another season if pregnancy occurs during the final year. Parliament also approved an IL bill recognizing guides for athletes with disabilities as high-performance sports agents and raising the annual IRS exemption limit for non-professional training grants to 2,910 euros, alongside resolutions recommending broader federation-level protections and breastfeeding support.