FIFA BAN: It Has Been Terrible To Be Away From Football For Five Years, But I Am Preparing Myself To Come Back - Samson Siasia - News Mole

Former Super Eagles player and coach Samson Siasia has pen down an emotional note on his Ban by football governing body, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) over an alleged case of Match-fixing ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

Siasia who was initially handed a life ban by the world football governing body has had his punishment reduced to a five-year, the reduction of Siasia’s punishment was communicated via an official statement by CAS in 2021.

According to CAS, a life ban for a first time offender who was also passive in the said offence was inappropriate though such acts need to be punished all the same to serve as a deterrent to others.

As revealed by CAS, in 2010, a match-fixer tried to involve Siasia as a coach of a club under his strict instructions. With the promise of employment benefits, Siasia would have had to always field several players under the control of the match-fixer. The negotiations between the match-fixer and Siasia in relation to the conditions of employment were conducted by email over a period of two months, eventually, the club did not accept or could not afford Mr Siasia’s requests and the negotiations ended. Premium Times Reported.

The CAS Panel confirmed the Challenged Decision and reduced the punishment for the ex-Super Eagles star. “Mr Siasia is banned for 5 (five) years from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level (administrative, sports or any other) as of 16 August 2019,” CAS said in its Monday statement.

It added: “The imposed fine of CHF 50,000 (fifty thousand Swiss Francs) on Mr Siasia is set aside.

“The Panel determined the imposition of a life ban to be disproportionate for a first offence which was committed passively and which had not had an adverse or immediate effect on football stakeholders, and that a five-year ban would still achieve the envisaged aim of punishing the infringement committed by Mr Siasia.

The Ex-Nigeria International writes “Irrespective of what happened, I have learned my lessons, but FIFA, who initially gave me a life ban in football, could not prove anything wrong with what they claimed I did. But they had to reduce it to a five-year ban, and it will expire next year. I thank God for that.

“It has been terrible to be away from football for five years, but I am preparing myself to come back to football, so I have to prepare myself so I can start ‘running’ once I resume by next year.”