The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a major move towards the welfare of women cricketers with the introduction of new guidelines on pregnancy, maternity and getting back into the game after giving birth.
The guidelines were revealed as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup continues in England and are aimed at offering practical guidance to players, cricket boards, coaches and medics.
The scheme would help women cricketers to return to the top level after childbirth.
The guidelines reinforce the notion that childbirth should not be considered the end of a woman’s cricketing career,” says Dr Phillipa Inge, who is a member of the ICC Medical Advisory Committee and the team doctor for Australia.
Rather, policies should be designed to assist players in conquering the difficulties of parenthood and sustaining their professional cricketing careers.
The framework addresses multiple aspects, such as physical recovery, mental health, a staged return to training plan, training needs specific to the game of cricket and continued medical oversight.
It highlights the need for a safe, individualised, and structured return to play protocol to ensure the game is played safely and effectively.
The guidelines take into account both health/fitness as well as some practical considerations for the athlete mother.
These include advice on child care support, adequate feeding facilities at cricket grounds, flexibility of training environment and travel support for players who have young children.
The success of the return of several International Cricketers after Maternity leaves gives an added meaning to the endeavour.
Notable examples are the former Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof and West Indies spinner Afy Fletcher who both have returned to the international arena after giving birth to their kids.
Their experiences emphasise the need for policies to enable women to balance motherhood and elite sport.
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