Nottingham Forest will conduct an internal investigation into the handling of Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury after the forward was allowed to play on – only to later end up in an induced coma
Nottingham Forest are ready to launch an internal investigation into the medical team’s handling of Taiwo Awoniyi‘s injury on Sunday – which later saw him placed in an induced coma.
The Nigerian striker was injured during the 2-2 draw with Leicester after colliding with a post as he slid in. The medics tended to him but then allowed him to continue playing in a decision that has since attracted plenty of criticism.
On Monday he needed surgery to repair a ruptured intestine having suffered severe abdominal injuries. Surgeons stabilised him in an induced coma, which helped restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate. The club have confirmed he is now out and recovering well.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis was fuming at how Awoniyi was allowed to continue playing after treatment – storming onto the pitch to question manager Nuno Espirito Santo – and The Sun reports that he has now launched an internal investigation
Forest’s experienced club doctor Dr Prithish Shyam Narayan will be quizzed along with club medics and coaches so that the City Ground hierarchy can get the full picture on what happened before making any decisions.
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In a strongly-worded statement issued by Forest, they made it clear it will not tolerate any player being endangered – and also took aim at the narrative around Marinakis, who was accused of lamenting Nuno following the draw which hampered their Champions League hopes.
They said: “The seriousness of his injury is a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game, and why a player’s health and well-being must always come first. At Nottingham Forest, this principle is not just policy for us; it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner. To Evangelos Marinakis, this isn’t just a football club – it’s family – and he instils that message in all of us.
“That is why he was so personally and emotionally invested in the situation that unfolded at the City Ground on Sunday. His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility, and emotional investment in one of our own. He didn’t just see it as an isolated incident, but as something that reflected the values and unity of the entire team.
“The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation, with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium. There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue. In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgement and fake news online.”
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