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Italian Lara Lugli, sued for wanting to be a mother and volleyball player

2021-03-22T06:37:31.288Z


At 41, Lara Lugli has become in spite of herself the face of the fight, still too often topical, of sportswomen who want to become a mother of


A few weeks ago, she was still a complete stranger.

An anonymous volleyball player in Italy.

But in recent days, Lara Lugli has become the icon of sports in her country and far beyond.

Her story has touched and shocked her compatriots since she revealed it on her social networks in early March.

Her Madonna face, with her big dark eyes and long black hair, is now featured in all media.

"I had nothing premeditated, I never would have imagined that it would take on such a scale," she confides on the phone.

Today everyone knows me, my life has changed.

"

The case dates back to March 2019. Captain and executive player of the Pordenone team, then in the 3rd national division, Lara Lugli learns that she is pregnant.

A beautiful - and "unexpected", she says - birthday present for the one who is about to celebrate her 39 years.

It informs its managers who, as allowed by a clause in contracts in Italy, separate from their player without notice or compensation.

It doesn't matter.

Her happiness at the idea of ​​giving life and finally becoming a "mamma" outweighs the rest.

Unfortunately, a few weeks later, the Italian suffered a miscarriage.

He is accused of having harmed the club

The story could have stopped there, but it bounced back on March 7.

On the eve of International Women's Day, Lara Lugli posted a copy of her summons to court in her country on her Facebook account.

The leaders of Pordenone sue him.

They accuse her of having fallen pregnant during the 2018-2019 season and of having harmed the club.

Both in terms of results - “at an important time of the season” - and financially by not having “fulfilled his obligations as captain with the sponsors”.

A brutal way of responding to the volleyball player who was simply asking them for the balance of her contract estimated at around 2,500 euros.

READ ALSO> 

Motherhood, a subject still taboo among top sportswomen

"Lara never received her salary for the month of February, although she played in full," explains her advisor, Stefano Franchini.

That the club decides to part ways with her when they learn that she is pregnant is unfortunately the norm in Italy.

But he must pay him what he owed him before.

I called the leaders ten times, fifteen times.

They never responded.

That's why we went to court.

The judge agreed with us.

This time, the club's response will not be long in coming.

“Their lawyer, another woman, laments Franchini, replied that they would not pay and that they were asking for damages.

The judgment is expected in May.

"I hope they will withdraw their complaint," blows the agent.

“I received their summons on February 26,” she explains in delicious French, tinged with a charming Italian accent, learned at school.

I felt offended as a woman and as an athlete.

It made me furious.

I reacted with my heart.

But when I saw that international newspapers were talking about it (after his Facebook post), I understood that something was happening.

A few days ago nobody knew me and now even the New York Times is talking about my story… ”The Italians have even taken up the subject on social networks.

Gli spettatori di @ PiazzapulitaLA7 si mobilitano in solidarietà to Lara Lugli, the pallavolista citata per danni perché incinta.

Una battaglia bellissima pic.twitter.com/G9ybwxC6xr

- Stefano Massini (@stefanomassini) March 11, 2021

A story that recalls the discrimination to which sportswomen are still victims.

“In Italy, if a player becomes pregnant during the season, she no longer has the right to earn money, regrets Alessia Fiesoli, Italian volleyball player in the French championship.

But Lara's story is all the more shocking as the club are suing her.

"

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“Many women have contacted me to thank me, congratulate me and encourage me, continues Lara Lugli, supported by her fellow volleyball player, Oreste Luppi.

Many anonymous, but also personalities and politicians.

I hope we can change things.

It is about time.

How can you blame a woman for getting pregnant in 2021?

We have accepted too many things.

Society must stop discriminating against women.

It is important that the voice of women is heard.

The Italian government has taken up the matter.

"It is not tolerable that women have to choose between pursuing a professional career or having a child," responded Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"It's as if I had betrayed the club"

In France, the story of Lara Lugli does not leave indifferent either, especially among the volleyball players.

If the law offers them social coverage during maternity - only if the player is under contract - the situation is far from perfect.

“I'm shocked, but unfortunately I'm not surprised,” says French international Myriam Kloster, 31.

In France, being pregnant can be frowned upon.

Ten years ago, when I announced that I was pregnant, I did not receive many congratulatory messages… It is as if I had betrayed the club when it is a happy event.

I find it hard to believe what I'm saying but that was the situation back then.

"

In 2019, during her short experience in Romania, Kim Nowak, 25, was forced to sign a contract where it was stipulated that she had to reimburse her salary to her club ... if she got pregnant.

"You encounter a lot of difficulty when you are a high level athlete and want to start a family," laments the 25-year-old.

Mother of a little boy for a few months, the Frenchwoman is now without a club and lives with her husband at her stepfather's.

“With my partner we wondered if we should keep the baby.

For me, an abortion would have been a trauma, but it often happens that players think about having an abortion or have an abortion.

We are asked to choose between one dream and another.

Some wait until the end of their career to have a child and fail to do so.

But all this is still taboo.

Insane in 2021.

READ ALSO> 

Isabelle Yacoubou: "Being pregnant is not a simple decision for a sportswoman"

The situation is slowly changing.

On Monday March 15, French professional handball signed the first collective agreement in a women's sport in France.

This agreement allows handball players to benefit from salary maintenance for up to twelve months in the event of injury or maternity leave.

In the United States, the WNBA (the women's basketball championship) initialed, in early 2020, an agreement to allow players in particular to receive "a full salary during their maternity leave".

A few weeks ago, the powerful International Football Federation (Fifa) approved the introduction of a 14-week maternity leave for female players.

For Lara Lugli, who works for an insurance company and continues to play volleyball “for fun” in the 5th division, the game is not over.

“It took courage or unconsciousness to get started,” says the Italian.

When you start a battle, you don't know how it will end or who will be by your side.

But it made me stronger.

And being a mom is always a dream.

"

Source: leparis

All sports articles on 2021-03-22

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