Eva Carneiro settles case with Chelsea and Mourinho

Eva Carneiro leaving the employment tribunal after case with Chelsea/Mourinho was settled. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

Eva Carneiro leaving the employment tribunal in Croydon. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

Former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro has settled her constructive dismissal as well as sex harassment claims against the club and former manager José Mourinho.

Carneiro’s claims against Chelsea and Mourinho were settled on confidential terms in an employment tribunal in Croydon on June 7. Chelsea had previously offered Carneiro a £1.2m settlement, which she rejected.

Daniel Stilitz QC, for Chelsea and Mourinho, said: “We are pleased to be able to tell the tribunal that the parties agreed a settlement on confidential terms.”

Chelsea apologised “unreservedly” to Carneiro but Mourinho, who made a surprise appearance at the tribunal, failed to follow the club’s lead. He instead thanked her for the “excellent and dedicated support she provided as first team doctor”.

Chelsea said: “Dr Carneiro is a highly competent and professional sports doctor. She was a valued member of the club’s medical team and we wish her every success in her future career.”

Eva Carneiro with husband Jason de Carteret. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

Eva Carneiro with husband Jason de Carteret. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

Carneiro quit after a dispute with Mourinho, who publicly criticised her for treating injured forward Eden Hazard at a Premier League game in August last year. He allegedly called her filha da puta, Portuguese for daughter of a whore, as her decision left the team reduced to nine men temporarily.

Chelsea said: “We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first.”

Carneiro’s legal team on June 6 told the tribunal that she regularly had to put up with sexually explicit comments from colleagues. Documents also alleged that Mourinho after the Swansea match had suggested Carneiro should work with the ladies’ team.

Chelsea had said that the Gibraltar-born doctor was preoccupied with building her own profile and secretly briefed against the club to the media. They also claimed that Mourinho, now manager of Manchester United, had said filho da puta, meaning son of a bitch, which had “no sexist connotation”.

Carneiro said: “My priority has always been the health and safety of the players and fulfilling my duty of care as a doctor. In running onto the pitch to treat a player, who requested medical attention, I was following the rules of the game and fulfilling my medical responsibilities.”

She also added that she was looking forward to moving on with her life after “an extremely difficult and distressing time” for her and the family.

José Mourinho leaves the tribunal. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

José Mourinho leaves the tribunal. Pic: Eir Nolsøe

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