Heahter Rabbatts wants new medical rules for managers

FA board member Heather Rabbatts has called for managers who attempt to interfere with the medical treatment of players to face disciplinary action.

Rabbatts, who is the Football Association's Independent Board member, believes rules should be in place to avoid a repeat of the case of former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro, who has parted company with the club after being criticised by Jose Mourinho and dropped from first-team duties.

Rabbatts, speaking at the Leaders in Sport Business Summit in London, said: "The issue of safeguarding players is clearly vitally important and I think there are a number of concerns out there shared by Premier League doctors and medical practitioners.

"It may well be we need to think about more effective sanctions if protocols currently in place are breached, and that maybe it should be a disciplinary offence if there is interference between the players and the medical staff.

"We need to think how we can all be better across the game when incidents like this happen, and I hope we will see Eva back in the game."

Carneiro and head physio Jon Fearn were criticised by Mourinho for going onto the pitch to treat Eden Hazard in Chelsea's opening match of the season. After treatment, the player then had to leave the field of play reducing Chelsea to nine men following the earlier sending off of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Rabbatts, the head of the FA's inclusion advisory board, has been fiercely critical of the FA's handling of the case.