Nottingham Forest Striker Taiwo Awoniyi in Induced Coma After Abdominal Surgery
Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma in hospital following emergency abdominal surgery, according to reports from Sky Sports. The 27-year-old Nigerian forward suffered a ruptured intestine after colliding with a goal post in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester.
The collision, which occurred during a phase of play that was not flagged for offside, has raised concerns about the Premier League’s offside rules. Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis kept her flag down, allowing play to continue, despite Leicester goalkeeper Daniel Ward querying the decision. According to Sky Sports, Massey-Ellis explained to Ward that she did not flag Awoniyi offside because he was "not far enough" offside.
Awoniyi received lengthy treatment after the injury but attempted to play on, despite being in clear discomfort. However, he was rushed to hospital on Monday evening after further investigations by Forest’s medical staff revealed the extent of his condition. The club confirmed that Awoniyi underwent urgent abdominal surgery on Tuesday and is "recovering well so far".
The incident has reignited debate about the Premier League’s offside rules, with many calling for a change to the protocol. Sky Sports pundit Stephen Warnock said: "Surely it has to be common sense, common sense has to kick into gear at some point. Common sense tells you: three or four yards, get your flag up and stop these things from happening." Former referee Dermot Gallagher added: "The law is offside, but the directive to the assistants is because we’ve got VAR, don’t put your flags up early, if he puts it in the net you can then go back and check."
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis expressed his frustration with the medical team for allowing Awoniyi to play on after the injury, stating: "There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue." The club’s head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, also appeared to be at odds with the officials, with Marinakis coming onto the field to speak to him after the game.
The Premier League’s offside rules have been a subject of controversy in recent seasons, with several high-profile incidents sparking debate about the use of VAR. According to Sky Sports, the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) are in charge of the Premier League’s refereeing laws and use IFAB’s (International Football Association Board) directive when it comes to VAR protocol. The directive states that assistant referees should only raise their flag if they are 100% certain a player is offside, and not if there is any element of doubt.
The incident has also raised concerns about player safety, with many calling for a more cautious approach to be taken when it comes to head injuries and other serious conditions. As Sky Sports notes, there have been several instances of players being injured during phases of play that were later ruled out for offside, including Manchester City defender John Stones in December 2023.
In response to the incident, the Premier League and PGMOL are likely to face increased pressure to review their offside protocols and consider changes to the rules. As Warnock noted: "We’re looking at
