A major controversy has erupted within the Senegalese football community following the national team’s exit from the World Cup in North America.
Senegal Football Federation (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall revealed that the squad’s chief medical officer of nine years was primarily trained as a gynaecologist, triggering deep concern among the playing squad regarding the quality of specialized sports medicine available to them.
According to Fall, the oversight was discovered late in the campaign, forcing the federation to scramble for external medical consultants to restore confidence among the players.
The federation president stated that feedback from the squad indicated the players did not feel sufficiently reassured by the medical support provided. He emphasized that the administration had to quickly source convincing outside expertise to guarantee the squad’s peace of mind, noting that health must always take priority over everything else.
The Senegalese Association of Sports Medicine quickly issued a strong rebuttal, characterizing the federation’s allegations as entirely unfounded and defamatory.
The association clarified that the team doctor, Abderahmane Fediore, is a highly qualified practitioner who holds a specialist diploma in sports medicine and sports biology from the Faculty of Medicine at Cheikh Anta Diop University.
Furthermore, Fediore has a long-standing history with the national sports system, having previously led the physiotherapy department at Fann Hospital. He has served as Senegal’s official team doctor since 2017, supporting the squad through three World Cups and five Africa Cup of Nations campaigns without prior incident.
The medical controversy capped off a brutal week for Senegalese football, coming just days after the federation summarily dismissed head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw and his entire technical staff.
The 45-year-old manager, who had held the position since 2024, was let go following a thorough evaluation of the team’s disappointing performances in North America. The executive committee deemed the immediate termination necessary to protect the future prospects of the national program.
The Teranga Lions entered the tournament with high expectations after defeating Morocco to secure the Africa Cup of Nations title in January. However, their World Cup campaign faltered early in Group I, where they suffered consecutive opening defeats to France and Norway.
Although they managed a victory against Iraq to progress, their journey ended in heartbreak in the round of 32. Senegal surrendered a comfortable 2-0 lead against Belgium in the final five minutes of normal time, eventually crashing out after a 3-2 defeat in extra time.