PSG Accuses France Of Ignoring Medical Advice After Dembele & Doue Get Injured

‎Paris Saint-Germain has accused France’s medical staff of disregarding their advice on injury risks and workload for the club’s players.

‎The Ligue 1 champions raised concerns after Ousmane Dembélé and Désiré Doué picked up injuries during Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.

‎Dembélé is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks with a hamstring problem.

‎Doué will also miss action for roughly four weeks due to a calf injury sustained in the same match, which France won 2-0 in Poland.

‎European champions PSG said on Sunday that they had called for a “more transparent and collaborative medical-sporting coordination protocol between clubs and the national team” in a letter to the French Football Federation.

‎”(PSG) had sent the federation concrete medical information, even before the French national team began training, on the acceptable workload and injury risks for its players,” the club said in a statement.

‎”The club regrets that these medical recommendations were not taken into account by the French national team’s medical staff and that there was a total lack of consultation with its medical teams.”

‎PSG said exchanges between clubs and France’s medical staff should be documented, and a “precautionary principle” should be followed when selecting players for national duty, particularly when they are undergoing treatment for a medical condition.

‎”The recent serious and avoidable events must give rise to rapid and immediate corrective measures,” they added.

‎France coach, Didier Deschamps defended his decision to field Dembele, saying the forward was fit despite being substituted during a Ligue 1 match at Toulouse on August 30 after a right hamstring issue.

‎He insisted there was no risk in starting him and that Dembele had recovered sufficiently to play.

‎”I was sure that he was capable of playing a high-level match; otherwise, I would not have played him. This time, it’s the other thigh,” Deschamps said.

‎”He was fit. It is unfortunate for him, but it could have happened to another player.”