Dr. Carneiro settles dismissal claim, Chelsea issue official apology

The incident that set the tone from almost the starting whistle for Chelsea's 2015-16 season has finally reached its resolution Tuesday, in an out of court settlement during the second day of a public tribunal.  If you're interested in the actual case and the facts of it, I recommend Liam Twomey's rundown of the key arguments for both sides over at ESPN.

There was inkling that something major was afoot when Jose Mourinho showed up unexpectedly in the morning at the Croydon courthouse (he was not expected to testify until next week), while Chelsea bigwigs Marina Granovskaia and Bruce Buck were seen in deep discussions with the lawyers representing the club.

The terms of the settlement are confidential; the specter of further embarrassment during a public hearing no doubt greased the wheels of this agreement at the eleventh hour.  As fascinating as that airing of dirty laundry could be, this settlement is probably the best outcome given the circumstances.

In a statement issued afterwards, Dr. Carneiro was relieved her ordeal was finally over and she could now move on with her life (as other major players in this case already had a long time ago — Mourinho sacked and hired since; physio Fearn back to work for many months; etc).

I am relieved that today we have been able to conclude this tribunal case. It has been an extremely difficult and distressing time for me and my family and I now look forward to moving forward with my life."

"My priority has always been the health and safety of the players and fulfilling my duty of care as a doctor."

-Dr. Carneiro statement; source: BBC

In what was probably stipulated as part of the agreement, Chelsea have issued an official apology, acknowledging that Dr. Carneiro did nothing wrong and accepting blame on behalf of our former manager (who, unsurprisingly, seems to have escaped scot free, without even having to offer an official, personal apology).

Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce that it has reached an agreement with Dr Carneiro which brings her employment tribunal proceedings against the club and Jose Mourinho to an end.

The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused. We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first.

Dr Carneiro has always put the interests of the club's players first. Dr Carneiro is a highly competent and professional sports doctor. She was a valued member of the club's medical team and we wish her every success in her future career.

Jose Mourinho also thanks Dr Carneiro for the excellent and dedicated support she provided as First Team Doctor and he wishes her a successful career.

-source: Chelsea FC

I'm sure many of us would want to rewind the last 10 months and do it all over again, better, fitter, more productive.  But we can't.  The only we can do is ensure something this regrettable doesn't happen again.