English Premier League
Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury prompts Ola Aina to call for Premier League offside rule review
By Dayo Awoniyi
Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has called for a reassessment of the Premier League’s offside rule following the serious injury sustained by his international teammate, Taiwo Awoniyi.
Awoniyi, who plays for Nottingham Forest, suffered a ruptured intestine after colliding with the goalpost during a match against Leicester City. The striker required emergency surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma, though he has since regained consciousness and is recovering.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Aina expressed his frustration with the delayed offside flag protocol, suggesting it contributed to Awoniyi’s injury and could have been avoided.
“You think ‘offside’ straight away. Surely they could just lift the flag up?” Aina said. “Personally, I preferred it when the offside flag was raised immediately. It’s a simple decision, and we can get on with the game. If the flag had gone up right away, none of this would have happened to ‘T,’ would it?”
Under current Premier League guidelines, assistant referees are instructed to delay raising the offside flag in certain situations to allow attacking moves to play out, especially if there is a potential goalscoring opportunity.
The intention is to avoid prematurely halting a phase of play in the event that the decision is later overturned by VAR.
However, Aina’s comments have reignited debate about the rule’s unintended consequences, particularly concerning player safety. Critics argue that the delayed flag approach exposes players to unnecessary risk.
As Awoniyi continues his recovery, the incident has prompted renewed calls for the Premier League and football governing bodies to prioritize safety in officiating protocols.
The football community has continued to show strong support for Awoniyi, with growing voices urging changes that could help prevent similar incidents in the future.
