International footballer may have been left paralysed following sickening collision with advertising boards

A Togolese international footballer may have been left paralysed after colliding with an advertising hoarding on the weekend. 

Samuel Asamoah, 31, suffered multiples fractures to his neck after smashing head-first into an LED panel while playing for Guangxi Pingguo against Chonqping Tonglianglong in the second tier of Chinese football. 

He was treated by medical staff at the ground before being rushed to hospital, where doctors confirmed he had also sustained extensive nerve damage. 

Asamoah has since undergone surgery and is in a stable condition but at risk of 'high-level paraplegia', which could lead to the loss of feeling in his legs and lower trunk. 

A statement released by his club this week reads: 'Guangxi Pingguo FC sincerely thanks all fans from all walks of life for their concern and support for Samuel Asamoah. 

'His recovery progress will be announced in due course after follow-up examinations.' 

Asamoah's injury comes at a time where the danger advertising hoardings cause to players is in the spotlight following the tragic passing of Billy Vigar last month. 

The 21-year-old, formerly of Arsenal's academy, died after suffering a 'significant brain injury' when he collided with a pitch-side wall while playing for Chichester City away at Wingate at Finchley.

Vigar was placed in a coma and operated on by doctors in a desperate bid to save his life but 'the injury proved too much for him', his devastated family said. 

His death prompted about an outcry from the world of football about player safety, particularly at non-league grounds. 

Only a couple of years ago another player, former Bath City star Jack Fletcher, suffered a serious head injury after crashing into concrete hoardings during a National League game.  

He needed emergency surgery and was placed in a coma but luckily survived.

Fletcher returned to football some 10 months later after learning to walk again. He however ultimately retired from the game last year at the age of just 25 because he 'didn't feel like the same player anymore'.

Dorking Wanderers boss and YouTube personality Mark White was one of those to raise the issue, writing on X: 'All clubs need the FA to instruct an immediate enquiry into pitch surrounds.

'Many are dangerous and players have to be cautious given the proximity from the pitch. But some simply do not move and are lethal. These need removing.' 

Football fans also started a petition following Vigar's passing which has gained thousands of signatures. 

It reads: 'We, football lovers, urgently call for the removal of brick walls and other hard, immovable structures surrounding football pitches.

'Billy's passing is not an isolated incident—countless players at all levels have suffered serious injuries, including broken bones, concussions, and life-altering trauma, as a result of these dangerous barriers.

'Many pitches, especially at grassroots and community level, remain bordered by solid brick walls placed only a few feet from the touchline. These walls serve no essential sporting purpose, yet they create an undeniable and avoidable hazard.

'Clubs, local councils, and sports authorities have a legal and moral obligation to provide a safe environment. Allowing hazardous structures to remain once the danger is known is a breach of that duty.

'Billy Vigar's death must be the last. We owe it to his memory—and to every player who steps onto a football pitch—to ensure that no one else suffers such a needless tragedy.'