Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has regained consciousness after being placed in an induced coma following surgery for a major abdominal issue. The Nigerian forward sustained the injury in Sunday’s 2-2 match against Leicester City when he collided with the goalpost in the final moments of the game.
He was taken to hospital the following day, where doctors identified a ruptured intestine. The 26-year-old underwent an initial surgical procedure on Monday. He was then placed into a medically induced coma on Tuesday to allow for careful monitoring by medical professionals.
On Wednesday, surgeons completed the operation, including closing the surgical wound. Later that day, Awoniyi was successfully brought out of the coma.
Club facing scrutiny over medical decisions
Forest is preparing to investigate the events surrounding Awoniyi’s injury, particularly the decision to keep him on the pitch after the incident. Despite receiving extended attention from the medical staff, the striker gave the impression he could continue. However, he remained visibly in discomfort.
At that point in the match, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo had used all available substitutions. After the final whistle, club owner Evangelos Marinakis entered the pitch to express his concern regarding how the situation had been handled.
A statement released by the club on Tuesday acknowledged dissatisfaction with the handling of the injury. It highlighted a shared concern that the forward should not have been permitted to remain in the game following such a serious collision.
Concerns raised about delayed offside calls
Awoniyi’s condition has also sparked wider discussion about the use of delayed offside flags. The injury occurred as he attempted to connect with a cross from Anthony Elanga. Replays showed Elanga was clearly offside, but the assistant referee delayed raising the flag due to VAR protocols.
Since the 2020–21 season, match officials have been instructed not to signal offside immediately if a scoring opportunity is likely, to avoid mistakenly cancelling a valid goal.
Former Premier League official Keith Hackett noted that this approach, while intended to improve accuracy, can expose players to unnecessary harm. Former England midfielder Fara Williams added that obvious offsides should be flagged without delay. She described the situation as a predictable risk and called for the rule to be reconsidered, suggesting it could contribute to serious incidents like the one involving Awoniyi.
