Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has emerged from an induced coma following emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine — an injury sustained in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Leicester City after a violent collision with the goalpost. The incident has triggered widespread concern, internal reviews, and fresh scrutiny of a controversial offside protocol in Premier League football.
The Nigerian international was allowed to play on after a collision in the final minutes of the match, despite visible discomfort and signs of serious injury. He later underwent two stages of abdominal surgery — first on Monday night, then again Wednesday to close the wound — before being brought out of an induced coma.
Forest have confirmed the severity of Awoniyi’s injury and expressed regret in a strongly worded statement suggesting medical staff “should never have allowed the player to continue.” The club will launch an internal review to determine what went wrong.
Sources reveal that Awoniyi initially signaled to medics that he could continue, but soon after, it became clear he was in significant distress. With manager Nuno Espirito Santo having used all substitutions, Awoniyi remained on the pitch — a decision that now seems shockingly ill-advised in hindsight.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly came down to the pitch post-match to express his displeasure at the handling of the incident — though the club has denied reports that it was a “confrontation.”
Leading colorectal and vascular surgeons described the injury as rare but “potentially fatal.”
Professor Gillian Tierney explained the difficulty of diagnosing a ruptured intestine, especially in athletic bodies with high adrenaline levels masking symptoms.
Mr Harpaul Flora added that if left untreated, the rupture could lead to sepsis, a life-threatening condition.
Both noted the urgency and complexity of the surgery, with 9% mortality rates associated even in hospital settings — meaning Awoniyi’s fitness likely saved his life.
The incident has also reignited controversy over the VAR offside delay rule, introduced by IFAB in the 2020–21 season. The rule instructs assistant referees to delay flagging for offside during clear scoring chances to avoid prematurely stopping play in error.
In Awoniyi’s case, the pass from Anthony Elanga was clearly offside, yet play continued — leading to the striker’s attempt to score and subsequent collision.
Former referee Keith Hackett called it a “necessary evil” of VAR, but warned it increases player risk. Former England international Fara Williams was more blunt:
“This was a time bomb waiting to go off. Awoniyi’s horrific injury proves it. When offside is obvious, the flag has to go up. Players hate this rule.”
Many pundits and players are now calling for the law to be reassessed this summer, amid fears that preventable injuries like Awoniyi’s could become more common.
The club has not issued a recovery timeline, but such injuries typically require weeks to months of recovery, with further monitoring for complications. Forest are expected to make sweeping changes to their medical protocols, while pressure mounts on IFAB and the Premier League to rethink a rule that could cost players their careers — or worse, their lives.
By Kelly Were
