Former Nigeria soccer head coach Samson Siasia has been banned for life by Fifa for receiving “bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches.”
What We Know:
- He served as head coach of Nigeria between 2010-2011 and for a stint in 2016. Fifa put out a statement about the situation, saying, “The Ethics Committee has found Mr. 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…”
- They continued by stating that Siasia is banned “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 CHF 50,000 (US$50,000) has been imposed on Mr Siasia.” He has yet to comment on the situation.
- This banning is part of an ongoing ‘large-scale investigation’ Fifa is conducting into the behavior of Wilson Raj Perumal, a convicted match-fixer from Singapore. He is now the third African to be banned for links with Perumal along with former Sierra Leone FA official Abu Bakarr Kabba and former Botswana FA official Mooketsi Kgotlele, who were suspended in July for five years and for life, respectively.
FIFA is putting its foot down when it comes to manipulating the game.
