Barcelona Football Club has refuted doubts surrounding their commitment to gender equality policies after being fined by Spain's labour ministry for not meeting workplace regulations. The club, along with the Spanish Football Federation and two other lower-league clubs, were found to have failed to comply with regulations requiring workplaces with at least 50 employees to have equality plans in place.
In response to the allegations, Barcelona clarified that they have had an equality plan in place since 2013 and were in the process of updating it at the time of the ministry's inspection. The club also highlighted the existence of a protocol for the prevention and approach to sexual harassment since 2020, covering aspects such as sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Barcelona emphasized that they have not been penalized for wage divergence and have not received any notifications of non-compliance in that regard. They asserted their position as a pioneer in promoting equality between men and women in the world of sports.
The inspection by the ministry was initiated following an incident involving the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, who was subsequently banned from football by FIFA and faces trial for sexual assault. The ministry's findings also revealed shortcomings in the federation's protocol compliance.
Spain's vice president and labour minister emphasized the importance of enforcing gender equality measures in sports, stating that there is no place for sexism in the industry. The fines imposed for non-compliance with equality plans and sexual harassment protocols can reach up to €7,500.
Among the other clubs inspected, Espanyol and Europa were also found to have deficiencies in their equality plans, although they did have sexual harassment protocols in place.
