Context:

The injury sustained by Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi has sparked a debate on the current offside protocol, particularly the 'late flag' rule, after he collided with the post during a match against Leicester City, which led to a ruptured intestine and required surgery. The incident occurred as Awoniyi attempted to connect with a cross while Anthony Elanga, who delivered the cross, was in an offside position, yet the assistant referee allowed play to continue as per the new offside protocol by IFAB, leading to questions about player safety. This delay in raising the offside flag is intended to prevent incorrect goal cancellations but has been criticized for exposing players to potential injuries, as evidenced by other recent injuries in similar situations. Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett and other football figures have expressed concerns, suggesting the rule should be reevaluated to prevent further harm to players. The IFAB, which sets football's laws, meets biannually to discuss potential changes, and such incidents may prompt a reassessment of this controversial protocol in future meetings.

Dive Deeper:

• Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest suffered a severe abdominal injury resulting in a ruptured intestine during a match, which led to him being placed in an induced coma after surgery. This occurred as he attempted to reach a cross that was delivered by Anthony Elanga, who was offside, raising concerns about the timing of offside calls.

• The incident has brought into focus the 'late flag' offside protocol introduced by IFAB for the 2020-21 Premier League season, where assistant referees delay raising the offside flag to allow potential goalscoring opportunities to unfold, thus avoiding incorrect decisions that could annul goals.

• Critics, including former referee Keith Hackett, argue that delaying the offside flag increases the risk of player injuries, as seen in Awoniyi's case and other instances where serious injuries have occurred before the offside flag was eventually raised.

• The protocol is designed to increase goal-scoring by allowing play to continue until a clear outcome is achieved, but it has been criticized for compromising player safety, with calls for the IFAB to reassess this rule in light of recent injuries.

• Prominent football figures and players have expressed their opposition to the current rule, describing it as a 'ticking time bomb' waiting to cause serious injuries, and suggesting that clearer and more immediate offside decisions could prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.