August 19 – Yet another prominent African footballing figure has been thrown out of the game for bribery related to match-fixing, with FIFA hitting former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia with a life ban.
Siasia, who managed the Super Eagles between 2010-2011 and for a spell in 2016, was banned for agreeing to “receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches” and hit with a CHF50,000 fine.
Siasia is the latest figure to be thrown out as a result of FIFA’s ongoing investigation into the conduct of notorious convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal. Former Sierra Leone FA official Abu Bakarr Kabba and one-time Botswana FA bigwig Mootkesi Kgotele were punished in July for five years and life respectively.
FIFA has not made clear exactly when Siasia allegedly committed his crimes and the 52-year-old, who has also managed his country at U-20 and U-23 level, insists he has done nothing wrong and will fight to clear his name.
“Everything is now in the hands of my legal team,” he told the BBC.
A former international, Siasia won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and played in their maiden World Cup appearance later that same year. He played over 50 times for his country while scoring 16 goals.
He is also the most decorated African football coach at the Olympics, winning silver at the Beijing Games in 2008 and bronze in 2016 in Rio.
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