'We don't have to choose between babies and football'

AC Milan skipper Christy Grimshaw says players "now don't person to make a choice" betwixt being a mother aliases a footballer aft nan nine introduced a ground-breaking maternity policy.

The Italian giants person go nan first nine successful Europe to guarantee statement renewals for players who go pregnant successful nan last twelvemonth of their deals.

Players will besides person thief pinch childcare and expenses for their children and a companion.

"The prime of being a mother aliases a subordinate is 1 that definitely, successful nan past, a batch of women person had to make," Scotland world Grimshaw told BBC Sport.

"To beryllium granted this opportunity feels other special. You mightiness beryllium successful nan past twelvemonth of your statement and consciousness a small frightened astir becoming a mother. It's taking that prime distant from us. We tin consciousness comfortable.

"Becoming a mother arsenic a female is simply a beautiful thing. I'm hoping this is nan commencement of thing typical successful women's shot and women's sport."

The argumentation from AC Milan was led by caput of women's shot Elisabet Spina and comes amid a push for improved authorities for players crossed nan game, pinch Fifa launching caller standards to protect pregnant female footballers successful May.

"As a immense club, we person nan work to effort to create women's football. That's why each twelvemonth we put successful a dedicated project," Spina told BBC Sport.

"I dream this task successful peculiar tin thief not only women's shot improve, but women's athletics and female professionals."

Spina said it was important to beryllium proactive connected women's wellness and supply resources for nan early procreation astatine AC Milan.

She hopes their maternity argumentation will enactment arsenic a "model" to different clubs and group a precedent wrong women's sport.

"We want to lend and effort to alteration nan culture," she added.

"It is precocious successful a way, but we are happy to beryllium nan first that thinks of thing for illustration this and to effort to alteration things.

"We started from nan constituent that we didn't want to hold for thing to hap and to past person to lick nan problem. We wanted to person an contiguous consequence and effort to build it before."

The nine consulted players from nan first squad and academy connected nan task - utilizing surveys and discussions to shape nan last agreement.

Spina - nan only female caput of shot successful Italy's first section - admitted her beingness arsenic a female successful a position of power was an important factor.

"Unfortunately location are not galore female sporting board successful Italy. I agree, we are missing much female professionals progressive successful women's shot and besides men's football," said Spina.

"I deliberation nan men's crippled gives america nan opportunity to turn but now we tin springiness thing backmost to women's football.

"We should ever person a operation and that is nan champion choice. It's why we person different women wrong main roles astatine AC Milan."

Spina believes nan effect of nan argumentation will not genuinely beryllium felt until a personnel of nan playing squad astatine AC Milan becomes pregnant.

However, Grimshaw says group are looking astatine nan nine arsenic "being superior pinch equality and inclusivity" and she is proud to correspond AC Milan.

"It's not only connected nan outside, it feels really bully connected nan inside. It's a really proud moment," she added.

"Women should ne'er beryllium put disconnected astir being a mother. It's really typical and it should ever consciousness that way."

As good arsenic encouraging others to travel suit successful regulations, Grimshaw thinks nan adjacent measurement should beryllium astir changing nan cognition of motherhood successful women's football.

"A argumentation for illustration this enables america to travel backmost and execute [after giving birth]. I’d for illustration to spot a alteration successful mindset," said Grimshaw.

"We tin person a baby, travel backmost and beryllium arsenic beardown arsenic we were before, compete successful awesome events - and not conscionable successful women's shot but each sport.

"Hopefully that tin change. It's a step-by-step process. We are increasing each day. But it's an breathtaking clip for each of us."