Lack of a trained medical doctor accompanying the National Women's Football Team during last month's Asian Cup Qualification has led to the team facing issues.

When the National Team visited Vietnam, where Group E qualifying matches were held, the team's physio had been listed as a medical doctor.

However, Vietnam's Football Federation raised issue with this, Mihaaru News reports. They informed the team that the physio cannot stay on the bench during match time and that they cannot fill the role of a medical doctor.

With this, FAM hired a doctor from Vietnam to serve as team medical for the match.

AFC now stipulates that a professionally trained doctor be present when international tournament matches are played. However, the issue of Maldives lacking a medical doctor for the team has risen previously as well.

FAM Acting General Secretary Mohamed Shujau said that arrangements had been made for a medical doctor to travel with the team. However, the doctor had pulled out at the last minute, and hence a doctor from Vietnam had been hired to fill in, he said.

Shujau maintains that Vietnam FA had been notified of this ahead, and had been requested to arrange a doctor from Vietnam to fill in.

Pay for the doctor arranged by Vietnam FA for the three matches played by the Maldives' team in the qualifying comes to approximately USD 200, which was settled by FAM, Shujau said.