Ola Aina blames Premier League’s delayed offside flag rule for Awoniyi’s Injury

Abdullateef Fowewe

Nottingham Forest defender, Ola Aina has strongly criticised the Premier League’s offside protocol, blaming the delayed offside flag for the severe abdominal injury suffered by teammate Taiwo Awoniyi during their recent 2-2 draw with Leicester City.

Awoniyi collided with the goalpost while trying to connect with a cross from Anthony Elanga, who was clearly offside, but the assistant referee did not raise the flag in time due to the current rule instructing officials to delay signaling offside until the play concludes.

Aina said the injury “would never have happened” if the offside had been called immediately, calling for a review of the rule that many players and fans now oppose due to safety concerns.

“Anthony was miles offside.

“The whole world could see and so could I from where I was. You think ‘offside’ straight away. Surely you could just lift the flag up?” Aina told Mail Sport.

Aina expressed frustration with the current rule that instructs assistants to delay their flag until a play is complete.

“Personally I liked how it was back in the day when for offside they just put it up straight away. A simple decision and get on with the game.

“Having to see it out and then just see this happen, well none of this would have happened to ‘T’ if the flag had just gone up would it?” he added.

Despite the distressing situation, Aina said the entire team has rallied around Awoniyi, offering support and well wishes, noting, “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 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.”

Reflecting on the severity of the injury, Aina admitted he was initially unaware of how serious it was.

“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,” he said.

He also spoke about the strong bond he shares with Awoniyi.

“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 and 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,” said Aina.

Awoniyi has since come out of an induced coma and is recovering after emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine.