NIGERIAN striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma after undergoing emergency surgery for a serious abdominal injury he sustained during a football match on Sunday, May 11.
According to a report from Mail Sport, the injury was severe and life-threatening, but the initial surgery has been deemed successful.
Doctors, however, were expected to complete the operation today, Wednesday, May 14.
Awoniyi, who plays for Nottingham Forest, suffered the injury on Sunday during a 2-2 draw against Leicester City. The incident occurred when the 27-year-old crashed into a post while attempting to score.
However, following several minutes of treatment, he returned to action even with an apparent discomfort.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nottingham Forest confirmed that Awoniyi had undergone urgent surgery after the severity of the injury was established on Monday, May 12.
“The Club can confirm Taiwo Awoniyi has undergone urgent surgery following an abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City.
“Everyone at Nottingham Forest sends their best wishes to Taiwo. The club will provide further updates when appropriate,” it wrote.
The club, in a separate statement on Tuesday, further stressed that Awoniyi was recovering well from the surgery.
This was as it attacked its medical staff and Sky Sports’ Gary Neville.
The ICIR reports that Nottingham Forest’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, was seen on the pitch in what appeared to have been confronting manager Nuno Espírito Santo after the 2-2 draw.
The incident has stirred controversy among many football lovers and pundits, including Sky Sports’ Gary Neville, who described the situation as ‘scandalous.’
He also said, “Nuno should go and negotiate his exit tonight with him! The Forest fans, players and manager do not deserve that.”
However, Nottingham Forest, in a statement confirming the recovery of Awoniyi, said the owner went to the pitch regarding how Awoniyi’s injury was managed.
The club further faulted its medical team for giving a green light to the coach to allow Awoniyi to continue playing when he was apparently in discomfort.
Since Forest had already exhausted their final substitution by replacing Elliot Anderson with Jota Silva, Awoniyi could not be substituted with another player. Despite his efforts to continue playing, he struggled to move as Forest pushed for a late goal to strengthen their Champions League qualification chances.
“In moments like that, he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence. In the final ten minutes of the game, when he saw our player clearly in discomfort, struggling through visible pain, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines.
“His deep frustration at seeing our player lying on the ground in severe pain – something no one with genuine care could ignore – triggered him to go onto the pitch. It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him. He would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to recur,” the statement read.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M