Cricket Australia: Pregnancy clause not discriminatory but for players' safety

Cricket Australia is under investigation of the Fair Work Ombudsman due to an alleged discriminatory clause its players are required to sign. The clause requires women players to sign a contract stating that they are not pregnant on the date they signed contract. The organisation has been criticised for the said clause but it explained that it was for the safety of each player and not for discrimination purposes.

Pat Howard, the high-performance manager, sent an email to Cricket Australia during the two-day break between the Brisbane and Melbourne Tests. He expressed that the reason why he sent the said email was because he did not want the players to be the meat in the sandwich.

“In regards to the pregnancy clause, we are trying to balance confidentiality with player safety. It shouldn’t be a public bargaining chip in this MoU. We do not pretend to have everything right and often the written word does not ­reflect how we try and support you on the ground,” Pat wrote.

On the other hand, Cricket Australia also released a statement to the media. “Players deserve the opportunity to focus on the game, rather than being distracted by a negotiation that should be conducted in a professional and confidential manner. In the period that will see tens of thousands of fans enjoy BBL matches, and the cricket community prepare for another Boxing Day Test, that cannot be assured if discussions continue under current arrangements with the ACA.”

Cricket Australia also insisted that the pregnancy clause is just a health and safety issue. However, they have admitted that they might have made a few mistakes regarding the said issue.

The pregnancy guideline states that “it is unlawful to discriminate against a player on the basis of pregnancy or potential pregnancy, subject to specific guidelines.”