The Nigerian was placed in an induced coma to aid his recovery from urgent abdominal surgery after he collided with a post in his side’s draw with Leicester on Sunday
Players’ union representatives will talk to football lawmakers over the Taiwo Awoniyi injury scare. The Nottingham Forest striker was place in an induced coma to aid his recovery from emergency abdominal surgery after he collided with a post in his side’s draw with Leicester on Sunday.
But the injury happened after assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis delayed raising an offside flag against Awoniyi’s team-mate Anthony Elanga. The Professional Footballers’ Association will raise concerns and try to learn lessons from any mistakes made over the incident.
There has always been a move to stop play when there is an obvious offside rather than allow it to continue and run the risk of serious injury as what happened with Awoniyi.
READ MORE: Taiwo Awoniyi horror gave Shay Given ‘flashbacks’ as Forest star left in induced comaREAD MORE: Nottingham Forest to launch internal probe over handling of Taiwo Awoniyi injury
The PFA will push the PGMOL and also law makers IFAB to review the current system and it is understood both bodies are willing to listen and review the set-up.
The PFA has been in constant touch with Awoniyi’s family, they have made his health and recovery their No1 priority as well as liaising with Forest as a club.
But they are now keen to strike a balance when players are clearly offside and “learn lessons” from what has happened.
Meanwhile, Awoniyi’s team-mate Ola Aina admits everyone at the club has been rocked by the serious injury to the Nigerian frontman.
Speaking to Mail Online, the defender said: “T is a very chilled guy. He doesn’t like to get in the way. He goes about his own business but he can have fun as well.
“He has been in a couple of my [YouTube] videos but I know he doesn’t like the cameras too much so I try not to put them in his face. I respect that about him. I have sent him a message of course. The whole team has.
“I have heard he is recovering well so hopefully we will hear from him soon. I knew he had hurt himself at the time but just didn’t realise it was to that extent. I only really heard when everyone was sending messages on our players’ group chat.
“We have a lot of things in common, me and Taiwo. Like our faith. But this is our team-mate and brother and someone we spend most of the year with day in day out.
“It affects everybody in some sort of way. All we can do is show our support and hopefully everything goes well for him now.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.