A controversy has erupted following the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 5 encounter between Kwara United and Remo Stars.
Remo Stars Head Coach Daniel Ogunmodede blamed Kwara United for poorly managing a near-fatal incident involving defender Saheed Olaniyi.
During the second half, Olaniyi suffered a concussion after heading a shot from a set-piece.
The game was halted, and an ambulance was brought onto the field.
However, Olaniyi regained consciousness and wanted to resume play.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Coach Ogunmodede physically restrained Olaniyi from returning to the game, stating in the post-match conference, “In my opinion, the player should be jailed for trying to commit suicide by returning to play after suffering a concussion… He could have died.”
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However, Kwara United’s Medical Officer, Rotimi Oyinloye, has disputed Mr Ogunmodede’s claim, stating that he, in fact, stopped Olaniyi from returning to play.
“We followed world-best practices,” Mr Oyinloye explained in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES. “After Olaniyi suffered a concussion, I resuscitated him with the manual oxygen we had, and when he regained consciousness, he wanted to continue playing due to the match’s intensity.
“As a medic, I couldn’t allow him to return. We don’t joke with head injuries in football. I stopped him, and instead, we made a substitution.”
Mr Oyinloye expressed disappointment at Ogunmodede’s allegations, calling them “a blatant lie.”
He clarified that Mr Ogunmodede was present when he instructed Olaniyi not to return to play.
“I was surprised to see the coach claim he stopped the player. I was the one who insisted Olaniyi shouldn’t continue, and the coaching crew effected a substitution.”
Football Federations across the world do not treat concussion cases lightly.
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“At all levels of football, if a player is suspected of having a concussion, they must be immediately removed from the pitch, whether in training or match play” the English FA rule emphatically states with the same protocol domesticated in Nigerian football.
“We take head injuries seriously, and our medical team follows established guidelines to ensure player safety,” Mr Oyinloye concluded.
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