In a column published on Tuesday, Sara Gunnarsdottir, former player of Olympique Lyonnais (2020-2022), denounces the behavior of the leaders of Lyon after the announcement of her pregnancy. The Icelander first points to late payment of wages during the first two months following the start of her maternity leave, then deplores not having been paid from the third month.
“Vincent (Ponsot) apologized for the two months I was missing and said I will be paid. But for the third month, he said something about them following French law. Which meant they owed me nothing else. Dietmar (his agent) kept telling them: “Hey, there are still missing salaries.” But we got no response. The players’ union in France got involved, then Fifpro. Weeks turned into months. Still no full salary. OL refused to give a clear answer on the criterion applied. Finally, Dietmar told Vincent that Fifpro was going to fight this at FIFA level. Vincent then said: “If Sara goes to FIFA with this, she has no future at Lyon.” »
“It was the first time he (Aulas) had seen me since I came back with my baby. He didn’t even greet me.”
Sara Gunnarsdottir then notes the way the club has (poorly) welcomed her child, Ragnar. “I have to be honest, part of me wanted to come into the club and tell everyone how angry I was for what they had done and leave. But I said to myself that I will go back and that I will do everything at 110%. I said to myself : “I’m going to show them how fit I’ll be.” I was ready to play. But it didn’t work as I expected. The training was different when I came back. I was treated differently. »
The midfielder reveals in particular that OL were not really inclined to have the baby make professional trips with his mother, and that he would grant them two “test” trips. Solution that the interested party did not appreciate.
The new Juventus player also points to the behavior of Jean-Michel Aulas vis-à-vis his son. “The president also entered the room (during a meeting with Vincent Ponsot) while I was there. It was the first time he had seen me since I had returned with my baby. He didn’t even greet me, look at me or greet Ragnar. But Vincent had just reassured me, five minutes earlier, about the case, that “it wasn’t personal”. After that moment, with the president, it was however clear that this was the case. »
“As a young mother, I had no future with this club”
Gunnarsdottir finally explains how OL separated from her. ” I him (Vincent Ponsot) asked what he had said to Dietmar, about the fact that if I went to FIFA, I would have no future in Lyon. He said he didn’t say that, and it was the coach, Sonia Bompastor, who decided she couldn’t see me as a future player on her team. I was so exhausted by all these fights… It was clear that, whatever people said, the main thing was there: as a young mother, I had no future with this club. »
In May, Sara Gunnarsdottir received the decision from FIFPRO, which condemned OL – which never cared about her condition during her pregnancy – to pay all her salaries.