FIFA ban: I’m coming back bigger, stronger – Siasia

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has vowed to come back bigger and stronger from his five-year FIFA ban due to end in August 2024. Siasia, an ex-Super Eagles star, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), was banned by the world football governing body, FIFA, from all football activities for life in […]

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has vowed to come back bigger and stronger from his five-year FIFA ban due to end in August 2024.

Siasia, an ex-Super Eagles star, who won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), was banned by the world football governing body, FIFA, from all football activities for life in August 2019 and fined 50,000 Swiss Francs after he was allegedly found guilty of accepting an offer to receive bribes in order to alter the outcome of matches.

Siasia’s suspension was the result of a thorough investigation into matches in which convicted Singaporean serial match-fixer Wilson Perumal was involved.

Siasia appealed the ruling, claiming that the FIFA ban was based on little or no proof.

Following his successful appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sports lowered the life sentence to five years and dismissed the 50,000 Swiss Francs fine.

The CAS panel concluded that a life sentence was “disproportionate for a first offence committed passively and with no adverse or immediate effect on football stakeholders.”

“The year is 2024, and it’s almost over. So all I have to do now is rebuild in order to move forward. Before the ban, I was doing extremely well as a coach. But it’s nearly over, and I’ll be returning bigger and stronger,” he said.

Siasia admitted that the FIFA ban broke him as he had only known football for three-quarters of his life, whether as a player or coach.

“They accuse you of something that never happened. It’s extremely painful. And then you’re banned for life for something you didn’t do. There is no evidence to support the claim. But all the same, it’s almost over,” he added.