DAKAR, Senegal: A dispute has emerged between the Senegal Football Federation and the country’s Sports Medicine Association following Senegal’s disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both sides clashing over the qualifications of the national team’s doctor.
Senegal was eliminated from the tournament after a 3-2 defeat to Belgium in the Round of 32. In its post-tournament review, the football federation alleged that the team’s physician lacked the specialized expertise required to provide medical care for elite athletes during the competition.
The federation claimed that Dr. Abdurahman Fadior is a gynecologist rather than a sports medicine specialist, raising concerns over his suitability for the role.
According to reports, Dr. Fadior has served as the national team’s doctor since 2017, accompanying Senegal to three FIFA World Cups and five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
The Senegal Sports Medicine Association rejected the allegations, describing them as baseless and insulting. The association maintained that Dr. Fadior is qualified in sports medicine and defended his professional credentials.
The controversy comes days after the federation dismissed national team head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw, saying a change in leadership was necessary following Senegal’s disappointing World Cup campaign.
More read, New FIFA draw format sets stage for historic World Cup final four
Earlier, Spain, Argentina, France and England have made history by becoming the first top four teams in the FIFA world rankings to reach the FIFA World Cup semifinals in the same tournament.
The unprecedented achievement was aided by FIFA’s revised tournament draw system, which placed the four highest-ranked teams in separate sections of the bracket, ensuring they could not face each other before the semifinals if they topped their respective groups.
The format worked as intended, with all four teams finishing first in their groups and advancing through their respective knockout paths.
