2026 World Cup: Senegal's medical staff amid tensions, players' mistrust and unpaid wages

Seeking scapegoats, the FSF leaders have multiplied media interventions since their return to Dakar. Thus, during his press conference on July 13, President Abdoulaye Fall reduced Dr. Fédior to his training as a gynecologist, even though the latter also holds a specialized diploma in sports medicine and biology.

Players' Distrust Toward Dr. Fédior

This development made international headlines while prompting public messages of support for someone who has been working with various Senegalese national teams for a decade. This (new) communication mistake is all the more paradoxical since, according to information from Sport News Africa, Dr. Fédior is not highly regarded by the group; players tend to seek external opinions rather than place their full trust in him.

No contract and unpaid wages

Aware of the players' mistrust, and also to settle a personal score against the doctor, FSF leaders started steps to bolster the medical staff. That’s how a French doctor, Renaud Guiu, joined the staff for CAN 2025 along with other physiotherapists brought in for support.

The problem is, the French doctor in question never received a contract, nor reimbursement of expenses advanced, particularly for tests done for certain players (MRIs). This unsavory situation also affects the physios, none of whom have received all their fees and bonuses since CAN and who had to return home at their own expense after the World Cup—like the players—because of disastrous organization.

Withholding Equipment and Logistical Issues

Worse still, rivalries within the medical staff itself undermined the seriousness of the work. Between some staff withholding equipment, others facing logistical problems (such as keeping the GPS units running), and a lack of professionalism, the World Cup was chaotic, with players sometimes not coming for treatment or coming late since no penalty or monitoring system had been established (unlike with training or meal times, which allowed punctuality).

Among the peculiarities of the Senegalese medical staff, the personal physiotherapists of Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mané would habitually reserve two spots specifically for those players at the expense of the others.

Tension and Frustration Over Treatment Times

While Koulibaly’s physio also took care of other players, Mané’s was mostly devoted to his player, who would spend “hours” receiving treatment, more than anyone else in the squad. This would push sessions back for others and create further small tensions or rivalries over who wields the most influence within this structure, which included a total of seven physiotherapists.

As for Dr. Fédior, who today is being singled out for his qualifications—and his fondness for cameras—he is the target of a federation that has failed to set up even a basic medical structure, much less regulate or pay it. A parody that sadly symbolizes the Lions’ World Cup.