Maica García will take legal action against Astralpool Sabadell following her departure due to maternity
The decorated Olympic and world water polo champion, Maica García, has decided to take Astralpool Sabadell to court. The player, a historic figure for the Catalan entity, alleged that the club dispensed with her services following her return from maternity leave, a situation she has described as unfair and which she seeks to set a precedent for the protection of professional female athletes.
After a 32-year career linked to the team, García expressed her deep disappointment upon being notified that she was not part of the sporting plans for the new season. The athlete maintains that her contract had a legal extension until August 2027, relying on current labor protection regulations for sports professionals.
Sabadell is my life and it will be my club for my entire life. I am not looking to act out of resentment, but to defend my position and ensure that no other athlete has to go through a similar situation when trying to balance their career with motherhood.
Maica García, Olympic water polo champion.
A conflict that transcends sports
García revealed that the process had a strong emotional impact on her, leading to bouts of anxiety. As she detailed, after her return to training, the club informed her that her absence from the technical plans was a purely sporting decision, an argument that the player questions when recalling her history of more than 70 titles, including seven Champions League trophies.
The water polo player emphasized that her struggle seeks to generate social change:
- Defense of rights: García is working with her legal team to formalize the complaint before the courts.
- Necessary precedent: The athlete seeks for her case to serve so that future generations do not face similar obstacles when deciding to become mothers.
- Intact ambition: Despite the conflict, she maintains her goal of competing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
New stage at CN Sant Andreu
Despite her bitter departure from Sabadell, Maica García’s career continues. The athlete has signed with CN Sant Andreu until the summer of 2028. As she explained, the choice of her new destination was based on the understanding and support received from the board and the coaching staff during her complex postpartum process.
Currently, the buoy’s focus is on regaining her optimal competitive level to be considered again for the Spanish national team call-ups, demonstrating that motherhood is not a barrier to high-performance sports.
