A Premier League player was placed into an induced coma after he had to undergo surgery on an abdominal injury that was deemed “urgent,” various outlets reported on Tuesday.
Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi had suffered the injury during a 2-2 draw against Leicester City on Sunday after colliding with the goal post while trying to reach a ball.
Awoniyi had been placed in a coma to restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate following his surgery on Monday, and will undergo the second part of his surgery on Wednesday, according to multiple British media outlets.
In a statement released Tuesday, Nottingham Forest said Awoniyi was “recovering well” from the “urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury.”
The injury has been the subject of controversy in the Premier League.
Awoniyi had been given three minutes of treatment before he got back to his feet late in the match and tried to play through it.
The injury was a severe-looking one at the time, as Awoniyi had careened into the goal post at full speed.
“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,” the team said in a statement.
“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 is a family.”
Marinakis had gone to the pitch following the match and had an animated conversation with Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Espirito Santo described allowing Awoniyi to try and continue to play as a “miscommunication” after the game.
“[Marinakis’] reaction was one of deep care, responsibility and emotional investment in one of his own,” the statement continued. “In moments like that he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence.
“When he saw our player clearly in discomfort, struggling through visible pain, it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines. It was instinctive, human and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him.”
