Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering after undergoing a two-part surgical procedure for a serious abdominal injury sustained during the club’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City on Sunday, May 11, 2025. The incident, which resulted in a ruptured intestine after Awoniyi collided with a goalpost, has prompted an internal review by Nottingham Forest into the on-field medical handling and has also intensified debate surrounding the “late flag” offside protocol.
Awoniyi was admitted to hospital on Monday, May 12, where he underwent the first stage of the operation. He was subsequently placed in an induced coma on Tuesday, May 13, as part of the medical procedure to monitor his progress. The second stage of the surgery, which included closing the wound, was completed on Wednesday, May 14, after which he was woken from the coma in the early evening.
Nottingham Forest is set to conduct an internal review to establish the facts surrounding why Awoniyi was allowed to continue playing after receiving lengthy medical attention on the pitch, despite appearing to be in significant discomfort. Club owner Evangelos Marinakis reportedly expressed his concern to head coach Nuno Espirito Santo regarding the management of the injury immediately after the match. In a statement released on Tuesday, Forest acknowledged a “shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue.”
Medical experts have commented on the gravity of such injuries. Professor Gillian Tierney, a consultant colorectal surgeon, described injuries similar to Awoniyi’s as “potentially life-threatening” and noted that they can be “very easy to miss at the point of contact,” with diagnosis sometimes taking hours. Mr Harpaul Flora, a consultant vascular and general surgeon, added that ruptured intestines are “a pretty rare injury” and would typically require a scan for diagnosis.
The circumstances of Awoniyi’s injury have also brought the current offside law protocol under scrutiny. The collision occurred as he attempted to connect with a cross from teammate Anthony Elanga, who replays showed was offside in the build-up. Assistant referees are currently instructed to delay flagging for offside in immediate goal-scoring opportunities to allow for VAR review, a practice introduced for the 2020-21 Premier League season.
Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett told BBC Radio 5 Live, “This is to ensure where the assistant referee makes an error on an offside decision, it doesn’t impact on the goal being ruled out incorrectly. Sadly, this practice does expose the risk to players of injury.”
Former England women’s midfielder Fara Williams was more critical, telling BBC Sport, “When an offside is so clear and obvious, I think it is the duty of the assistant referee to put their flag up and stop play… Awoniyi got that horrific injury because of it. It is a rule that nobody likes and I am sure it will be assessed in the summer.”
The incident involving Taiwo Awoniyi highlights ongoing concerns regarding player welfare, on-field medical assessments, and the potential unintended consequences of current officiating protocols.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.