RFEF to fund egg freezing for Spanish national team players
The Spanish Football Federation is planning to support fertility preservation for its national team players, following similar moves by leading European clubs.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 / Author: Jordi Roca
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is set to fund egg freezing procedures for its national team players. This initiative aims to provide female athletes with the flexibility to manage their personal decisions alongside their professional careers.
Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas has expressed her strong support for the project. "It is enormous progress because the Federation understand that you are serving your country by going against your biological clock, that you cannot stop and you cannot become a mother because you need your body in order to work," said Putellas.
It is enormous progress because the Federation understand that you are serving your country by going against your biological clock, that you cannot stop and you cannot become a mother because you need your body in order to work. Alexia Putellas
Currently, there is no standardized protocol regarding assisted reproduction techniques in Spanish football. A significant aspect of this process involves navigating World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations, as some substances used during ovarian stimulation are restricted and require therapeutic use exemptions.
Spain is following a growing trend in the sport. In 2021, Racing Louisville became the first club to strike a deal for such treatments. Earlier this year, UEFA recommended that clubs integrate fertility and reproductive health into their employment policies, while Chelsea has already established a fund to cover egg freezing costs for their players.