World Cup 2026: Senegal team doctor ‘trained as a gynaecologist’ – Federation president Abdoulaye Fall reveals

Senegal Football Federation (FSF) president Abdoulaye Fall has revealed that concerns over the national team’s medical support emerged during the 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, claiming the squad lacked confidence in the team doctor’s specialist background.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday as the federation reviewed Senegal’s disappointing tournament, Fall said the team doctor, Abderahmane Fediore, was initially viewed by players as lacking the required expertise to handle the medical demands of a World Cup environment.

According to the federation president, the issue was discovered late and caused uncertainty among members of the squad regarding the level of medical assistance available.

“Based on the feedback I received, the players were not sufficiently reassured about being supported by him,” Fall said.

Fall added that the federation moved quickly to bring in additional medical expertise to ensure the players felt adequately supported.

“We had to find convincing expertise so they could feel reassured, because health comes before everything,” he explained.

However, the Senegalese Association of Sports Medicine has strongly rejected the claims, describing them as “unfounded and defamatory.”

In a statement released on Monday night, the association defended Fediore’s credentials, insisting that he is a qualified sports medicine specialist with a diploma in sports medicine and sports biology from the Faculty of Medicine at Cheikh Anta Diop University.

The association also highlighted his extensive experience, noting that Fediore previously headed the physiotherapy department at Fann Hospital and has served as Senegal’s team doctor since 2017. During that period, he has been part of the technical setup at three FIFA World Cups and five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

The medical controversy comes as Senegal continues to deal with the fallout from a disappointing World Cup campaign. The federation dismissed head coach Pape Bouna Thiaw on Saturday, citing the team’s results as the reason for the decision.

Senegal entered the tournament with high expectations after winning the Africa Cup of Nations title in January, where they defeated Morocco in the final. The Teranga Lions were expected to challenge among the top teams in North America but failed to deliver.

They suffered defeats against France and Norway in their opening two group matches before their campaign ended in dramatic fashion. Senegal surrendered a 2-0 lead against Belgium with just five minutes remaining in their last-32 encounter, eventually losing 3-2 after extra time.

The federation is now facing pressure to address both technical and administrative issues as it begins preparations for the next phase of Senegal’s football project.