Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro settles dismissal case

Image copyright PA

Former Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro has settled her dismissal claim against the club on confidential terms.

Dr Carneiro had claimed constructive dismissal against the club and was also bringing separate legal action against former manager Jose Mourinho.

On Monday it emerged Chelsea had offered Dr Carneiro £1.2m to settle her claims which she had rejected.

Chelsea said it "regretted the circumstances" which led to the former first team doctor leaving the club.

In a statement Dr Carneiro said: "I am relieved that today we have been able to conclude this tribunal case. It has been an extremely difficult and distressing time for me and my family and I now look forward to moving forward with my life.

"My priority has always been the health and safety of the players and fulfilling my duty of care as a doctor."

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

Chelsea said in a statement: "The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused.

"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.

It added: "Jose Mourinho also thanked Dr Carneiro for the excellent and dedicated support she provided as first team doctor and he wishes her a successful career."

Analysis: BBC Sport news correspondent Richard Conway

The tribunal was not the kind of start that Mr Mourinho's new club, Manchester United, would have wanted.

It would be interesting to see in due course if there was any word from them about their influence on this. I'm sure they wouldn't want their new manager to be introduced into this kind of febrile atmosphere.

Sex discrimination claim

Dr Carneiro claimed that she was sexually discriminated against after she went on to the pitch to treat Chelsea player Eden Hazard during the opening day of the Premier League season last August.

She claimed that Mr Mourinho shouted the Portuguese phrase "filha da puta" at her, which means "daughter of a whore", as she ran on to the pitch.

Hazard had to leave the pitch, briefly leaving the team with only nine men at what Mr Mourinho claimed was a crucial stage in the game.

Chelsea went on to draw 2-2 with Swansea and Mr Mourinho publicly criticised both Dr Carneiro and first team physio Jon Fearn for being "impulsive and naive".

Mr Mourinho conceded that he used the term, but insisted he had been using it throughout the match.

Mary O'Rourke QC, acting for Dr Carneiro, told the tribunal on Monday: "He [Mourinho] uses the word 'filha' because he is abusing a woman."

The FA ruled on 30 September 2015 that "the words used do not constitute discriminatory language" after consulting an independent academic expert in Portuguese linguistics.

Dr Carneiro also alleged that on 10 August last year Mr Mourinho told Steve Atkins, head of communications and PR at Chelsea, that he did not want Dr Carneiro on the bench at the next match, adding: "She works in academy team or ladies team, not with me."

They also claim Chelsea took no action following complaints about sexually explicit chanting at various away games - in particular at Manchester United and West Ham - and a lack of female changing facilities.

Dr Carneiro claims she was not provided with a club suit, and regularly had to endure sexually explicit comments from her colleagues.