by Our Sports Desk

THE Premier League Doctors Group defended Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro yesterday, after she was demoted from the team bench ahead of Sunday’s clash with Manchester City.

Towards the end of Saturday’s stuttering 2-2 draw at home to Swansea, the reigning champions were temporarily reduced to nine men as Eden Hazard had to leave the field following treatment.

Chelsea boss Mourinho was visibly infuriated to see physio Jon Fearn and doctor Carneiro run onto the field to give him that treatment, telling the media afterwards that their “impulsive and naive” decision showed they did not “understand the game.”

The change in their roles will be long-term, with the pair no longer involved in matches and training sessions.

The group released a statement backing Carneiro and called the decision “extreme.”

The statement said: “The Premier League Doctors Group considers that removing Dr Eva Carneiro from the Chelsea team bench for their next match is unjust in the extreme.

“In the publicised incident in last Saturday’s game against Swansea, the Chelsea medical staff were clearly summoned onto the field of play by the match referee to attend to a player.

“A refusal to run onto the pitch would have breached the duty of care required of the medical team to their patient.

“It is a huge concern that Dr Carneiro has been subjected to unprecedented media scrutiny and a change in her professional role, merely because she adhered to her code of professional conduct and did her job properly.

“Dr Carneiro has universal and total support from her medical colleagues at the Premier League Doctors Group. It is also of great concern that at a time when the both the Premier League and the Premier League Doctors group are intensifying efforts to safeguard player welfare, the precedent set by this incident demonstrates that the medical care of players appears to be secondary to the result of the game.”

Leading sports physician Peter Brukner — once Liverpool’s head of sports medicine and sports science — also called Mourinho’s behaviour appalling and said that he owes his medical team an apology.

“I thought it was appalling behaviour by the manager,” the Australia cricket team doctor said.

“The medical staff deserve a public apology and I’m very disappointed that the club hasn’t come out and done something to support them — they were just doing their job.”