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SPORTS Wednesday 28 august 2024

Global players’ union builds on FIFA regulations with a guide for

expectant mothers

By ANNE M. PETERSON pregnancy, childbirth and
AP Soccer Writer recovery looked like.
When Cheyna Matthews “There is this perceived in-
got pregnant with her first compatibility, not just in
child back in 2018, she had football, in sport more gen-
a lot of questions. erally, that you can’t have
In addition to concerns a child and be an athlete.
about her legal rights as a And actually there are
professional soccer play- players out there who have
er, how would she man- disproven this on a daily
age pregnancy and the basis,” Culvin said. “So we
birth? And, importantly, wanted to kind of bring all
when could she safely play of this together, and ele-
again? vate and listen to the player
“We play a lot of times be- voice, centralize their expe-
cause we love it. But now riences alongside experts
it’s also providing the fi- on the scientific literature,
nancial security. So when and create something that
you’re thinking of having hadn’t been produced be-
children it’s like, `OK, I also fore, with the FIFPRO stamp
have to figure out how I on it.”
can get back to work.’ Jamaica’s Cheyna Matthews in action against Brazil’s Adriana during the Women’s World Cup The medical profession-
And when you’re working Group F soccer match between Jamaica and Brazil in Melbourne, Australia, Aug. 2, 2023. als who contributed to the
with your body, it’s one of Associated Press guide were Dr. Pippa Ben-
the most important things,” childbirth and how to pre- tum Return to Play Guide.” gic relations for women’s nett of the U.K. Sports In-
Matthews said. pare for a return to soccer. The protocol builds on FI- soccer, said FIFA’s new stitute, Dr. Rita Tomas, the
In an effort to give players Matthews, who retired from FA’s groundbreaking regu- regulations and the protec- team physician for the Por-
and teams alike a guide for pro soccer in 2023, along lations concerning materni- tions that were put in place tuguese women’s national
best practices surrounding with United States left back ty and parental rights that increased the likelihood team, professor Kirsty Elliott-
maternity, global players’ Crystal Dunn, Germany were first enacted in 2021 that more players would Sale with the Manchester
union FIFPRO released a goalkeeper Almuth Schult and expanded earlier this feel comfortable starting Metropolitan University’s In-
guide on Tuesday that cov- and Iceland midfielder Sara year. families during their playing stitute of Sport, and FIFPRO
ers how to manage preg- Bjork Gunnarsdottir, helped Dr. Alex Culvin, FIFPRO di- careers, but there was very Chief Medial Officer Dr. Vin-
nancy, what to expect in devise FIFPRO’s “Postpar- rector of policy and strate- little guidance about what cent Gouttebarge.q

No. 1 Swiatek shakes off tough test, Naomi Osaka wins

impressively in her return to the U.S. Open

By BRIAN MAHONEY then after giving birth, and just this month
AP Sports Writer posted on social media about the strug-
NEW YORK (AP) — Top-ranked Iga Swiatek gles of not playing as well as she used to
fought through a tough first-round match after failing to qualify for the tournament
at the U.S. Open on Tuesday, while two- in Cincinnati.
time champion Naomi Osaka made an She smashed 19 winners against only five
impressive return to the tournament by unforced errors Tuesday.
beating No. 10 Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2. Swiatek had a more difficult time, edging
Osaka, the 2018 and 2020 champion in Kamilla Rakhimova 6-4, 7-6 (6). The 2022
Flushing Meadows, needed only 64 min- champion was one point away from be-
utes to oust Ostapenko, the 2017 French ing forced to a third set when Rakhimo-
Open champion. It was the kind of per- va took a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker. But
formance that was standard from Osaka Swiatek recovered and won the next five
when she reached No. 1 in the rankings points, finishing the match when her oppo-
and won four Grand Slam titles between nent missed a backhand.
2018-21. Swiatek improved to 22-1 in first-round Iga Swiatek, of Poland, waves to fans after defeating Kamilla
But she had missed large gaps of time matches at Grand Slams, including 6-0 at Rakhimova, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis
since, first for mental health breaks and the U.S. Open.q championships, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024, in New York.
Associated Press