Coach Samson Siasia has vowed to legally fight a ban on all football-related activities and fine imposed on him by the world football governing body, Fifa.
Fifa had alleged the coach was guilty of alleged match-fixing.
Speaking with the BBC Sport, Siasia, who was once a Super Eagles’ player then coach, says his lawyers are on course to clear his name:
“I’ve not done anything wrong and will continue to fight to clear my name.
“Everything is now in the hands of my legal team.”
Also, according to BBC Sport, Siasia’s camp says they are studying Fifa’s ruling and would be issuing a statement in due course.
“The coach was unable to address the press today (17 August 2019) as planned because he’s undergoing a lot of stress,” Prince Opukiri Jones-Ere, an associate of Siasia.
“His lawyers are studying the ruling and will make an official statement in a few days.”
Some background
In a statement on Friday (16th August 2019), the world football governing body, Fifa, said it has imposed a lifetime ban on Coach Samson Siasian on all football-related activities for alleged match-fixing.
In addition to the ban, Fifa also slapped a fine CHF50,000 (about $50,000.00) on the coach who led Nigeria’s Under-23 men’s team to a silver finish at the football event of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
The statement reads: “The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Mr Samson Siasia, a former official of the Nigeria Football Federation, guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
“The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Siasia were initiated on February 11, 2019, and stem from an extensive investigation into matches that Mr Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.
“This large-scale investigation was conducted by FIFA via its competent departments and in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and authorities.
“In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Siasia had breached art. 11 (Bribery) of the 2009 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics and banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level.
“In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF50,000 has been imposed on Mr Siasia. The decision was notified to Mr Siasia today, the date on which the ban comes into force.”
It is not revealed which match the alleged fixing relates to or when the alleged offence took place.
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