Eva Carneiro's constructive dismissal case against Chelsea to begin as former club doctor fails to agree settlement

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Former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro's constructive dismissal case against the club will have its first tribunal hearing on Wednesday.

The preliminary hearing will take place at the London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon, and is expected to be in private before an employment judge.

The hearing will fix the timetable for the case, and deal with witness statements and disclosure of documents - including texts and emails - by each side, as well as any legal procedural disputes that current exist between the two parties.

Eva Carneiro and Jose Mourinho (right) had a touchline row during Chelsea's draw with Swansea in August

Carneiro runs past Mourinho and onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard on the Stamford Bridge pitch

Mourinho shouts towards Carneiro shortly before Chelsea were reduced to just nine men temporarily

A date for a full hearing could be fixed for some time in June but there may be another preliminary hearing arranged before that takes place. The parties may also agree to a settlement before the case is heard.

Chelsea filed their defence in the case last month. Carneiro also has a separate personal legal action against former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who left the club in December, for alleged victimisation and discrimination.

The claim against Mourinho will be on the basis that he was instrumental in the actions against Carneiro in having her dropped from first-team duties and effectively demoted. 

The 42-year-old doctor was dropped after Mourinho criticised her and the first-team physio Jon Fearn for going onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard on the opening day of the season.

The action meant that Chelsea were temporarily down to nine men against Swansea, and afterwards Mourinho called Carneiro and Fearn 'impulsive and naive'. Carneiro did not appear on the bench again for first-team duties and later parted company with the club.

Mourinho was cleared of using discriminatory language towards her following an investigation by the Football Association. 

Carneiro and head physio Jon Fearn treat Hazard during the second half of Chelsea's opening day draw

Mourinho, who was sacked by Chelsea in December, shows his frustration after Carneiro ran on the pitch

Portuguese boss Mourinho claimed Carneiro was 'impulsive and naive' for running on to treat Hazard

Afterwards, Carneiro and the FA's independent board member Dame Heather Rabbatts criticised the governing body for not interviewing the doctor as part of its investigation.

Carneiro said: 'I was surprised to learn that the FA was allegedly investigating the incident of 8th of August via the press,' she said. 'I was at no stage requested by the FA to make a statement.

'I wonder whether this might be the only formal investigation in this country where the evidence of the individuals involved in the incident was not considered relevant. Choosing to ignore some of the evidence will surely influence the outcome of the findings.

Carneiro parted ways with Chelsea in September but Fearn (right) has remained with the Premier League club

'Last season I had a similar experience at a game at West Ham FC, where I was subjected to verbal abuse. Following complaints by the public, the FA produced a communication to the press saying there had been no sexist chanting during this game. At no time was I approached for a statement despite the fact that vile, unacceptable, sexually explicit abuse was clearly heard.

'It is incidents such as these and the lack of support from the football authorities that make it so difficult for women in the game.'

Carneiro has also had backing from FIFA's medical chairman Michel D'Hooghe, who contacted the doctor to offer his support and that of the world governing body. He has backed Carneiro's insistence that she was simply doing her job.

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