Overview

• Taiwo Awoniyi sustained a ruptured intestine after colliding with a goalpost during Nottingham Forest's 2-2 draw with Leicester City on May 11.
• Awoniyi underwent emergency surgery in two stages and was placed in an induced coma; he is now awake and recovering well in the hospital.
• The injury occurred after assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis delayed raising the offside flag in line with current VAR-era officiating protocols, which have faced renewed criticism for risking player safety.
• Nottingham Forest has launched an internal investigation into its medical team's decision to allow Awoniyi to continue playing despite visible pain after the collision.
• The Professional Footballers’ Association is engaging with IFAB and PGMOL to advocate for changes to the delayed offside flag protocol to prioritize player safety.