Reports: Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro planning legal action against Jose Mourinho

Carneiro has been axed from Chelsea bench for treating Hazard during Chelsea’s game against Swansea

Chelsea’s suspended club doctor, Eva Carneiro, has not worked for the reigning English champions since the incident on the opening day of the season and is understood to be preparing legal action against the club, according to Independent.

The decision to issue legal proceedings by the club doctor is all to be blamed on the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, who has axed Eva Carneiro from the bench and attending the club’s training centre at Cobham or the team hotel. It's rare to hear about club doctor’s being restricted from the bench on match days. Neither do the sacking of staff members make big headlines on the local newspapers.

However, Carneiro's case was different and the suspension of the club’s doctor was imposed right after the incident on the opening day of the season against Swansea when she ran into the pitch to treat the injured Eden Hazard along with club physio Jon Fearn. The Portuguese coach was left infuriated as he believed Hazard was not required to be taken off for his injury while his team was left with eight outfield players on the pitch.

Mourinho made a fair point from his perspective and the situation in which Chelsea were at when his goalkeeper was shown the red card. But the shocking dismissal of the 41-year-old doctor and the club physio from the team’s bench has projected controversy in and around the club as both the victims are anxious to retain their place.

Eva Carneiro has been occupying the place since Andre Villas-Boas appointed her head doctor four years ago and did not anticipate for this situation to arise.

It’s been over a month now since the incident happened but there has been no response from Chelsea so far. Eva Carneiro is now believed to issue legal proceedings against the club if she receives no sign of offer of reinstatement from the club.

Sexism could form a key part of her case as she has claimed that Mourinho allegedly referred to her as “a secretary” in his post-match comments. But on Mourinho’s defence, he alleged that the club doctor and physio should have realised the situation his team was in with eight outfield players while Hazard was being treated on the sidelines.

“Even if you are a kit man, a doctor or a secretary on the bench, you have to understand the game. I was sure he hadn’t a serious problem. He was very tired but my medical department, on an impulse, was naïve and left me with eight outfield players on a counter-attack.” as Mourinho was quoted on Independent.

Apology from Mourinho is not enough, says O’Rourke

The remarks made by Mourinho on Carneiro in the heat of the moment has been regarded as sexist by Mary O’Rourke - a QC and one of the country’s leading legal authorities on sports injuries. The Chelsea manager may be left with regrets for referring to her as “ a secretary” which has not been taken well by many.

“Ninety-five percent of secretaries are women. Everyone listening to that would have taken it as a comment that women don’t know anything about football. If you put that statement out to 100 people, 99 of them would interpret it the same way.” said O’Rourke at Manchester’s Soccerex Convention.

O’Rourke is keen to defend Carneiro in retaining her job as the club doctor at Stamford Bridge. Following Mourinho’s infamous remarks on Carneiro and her saga at Chelsea, reveals the prevailing sexism in football.

Carneiro’s case is now set to be reviewed by Fifa’s medical committee on Friday and O’Rourke believes that a formal apology from Mourinho wouldn’t do any good, but an offer of reinstatement would be enough as part of any settlement.