A skilled sports medicine specialist is usually responsible for treating players on a football team. He or she bears the primary responsibility of assessing the severity of an injury and getting the player back on the field as quickly as possible.
But the scene in the dugout of the Senegal national team resembles something out of a play. For the past 10 years, the team’s chief doctor has reportedly been a gynecologist and obstetrician. This claim was made by Abdoulaye Fall, president of the country’s football federation.
Senegal was eliminated from this year’s FIFA World Cup, losing 3-2 to Belgium in the round of 32. Beyond its performance on the field, the team also faced various internal problems, and the federation president’s statement has now added a new controversy.
“I recently learned that Dr. Fedor is a gynecologist and obstetrician by profession. He did not have the necessary academic qualifications to provide medical supervision to our national team players,” Abdoulaye Fall said at a press conference.
Dr. Fedor has worked with the Senegalese team for the past decade, including touring the United States, Mexico and Canada with the team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Fall added that many players did not have full confidence in the doctor. “The feedback we got from the players was that they were not entirely comfortable with his treatment. The health of the players comes first, so there needed to be a system in place to ensure they were comfortable,” he said.
During the World Cup, reports of problems within the Senegal camp emerged, including unpaid player salaries, inadequate food and accommodation, and the absence of a formal contract for coach Pape Thiaw.
Senegal also delivered a disappointing performance on the field. The African team’s path to the knockout stage became difficult after suffering two consecutive losses to France and Norway in the group stage. They defeated Iraq 5-0 in their final group-stage match to secure a place among the top eight teams across the 12 groups, advancing to the knockout rounds.
Senegal had led 2-0 until the 85th minute of their round-of-32 match against Belgium. They conceded two goals in the final five minutes and were ultimately eliminated after losing 3-2 in extra time.
Facing intense criticism from fans and football analysts, Senegal dismissed the entire coaching panel, including the head coach, on Saturday. The controversy surrounding the team doctor then came to light.
