Former Nigeria Coach Siasia’s Life Ban Reduced To Five Years

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday announced that former Nigeria national team head coach Samson Siasia’s ban imposed by FIFA has been reduced to five years.

The former Super Eagles coach was banned from the game for life by world governing body FIFA in August 2019 for agreeing to take bribes to manipulate matches.

The 51-year-old was also fined CHF50,000 (£42,000) for breaching FIFA’s code of ethics but CAS has decided to set aside.

Siasia had filed an appeal in September 2019 stating that he was not involved any form of unethical conduct or perversion in the discharge of his duties in any capacity.

“The panel acknowledged the need for sanctions to be sufficiently high enough to eradicate bribery and especially match fixing in football,” the CAS said.

“However, the panel considered in the particular circumstances of this matter that it would be inappropriate and excessive to impose a financial sanction in addition to the five-year ban since the ban sanction already incorporated a financial punishment in eliminating football as a source of revenue for Mr Siasia.

The coach He had been linked with former serial match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal who has previously alleged to have influenced results involving Nigeria.

Siasia had a 15-year career with the Super Eagles as a player and was head coach between 2010 and 2011, as well as in 2016.

The former Nantes forward also had spells in charge of Nigeria’s U20 and U23 sides.