FIFA LIFE BAN: “I have done nothing wrong” – Siasia reacts

Reacting to the FIFA life ban against him over bribery and match fixing scandal,  former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has denied the allegations of bribery and match manipulations from the World Football Governing body.

According to Vanguard Newspaper, Siasia also said that he was yet to be notified by FIFA on the life ban the international football body placed on him on football activities, following the allegations of bribery and manipulation of matches at the international level.

He also claimed that he was never invited by FIFA to tell his own side of the story.

Very angry Siasia, while disclosing his position to the former Super Eagles Media officer, Colin Udoh, also said that he was hearing about the allegations against him from FIFA for the first time.

According to him, “I don’t know anything about this. I did nothing wrong and I have not received any letter from FIFA.” The former Eagles coach said he would fight this to clear his name.

Meanwhile, FIFA has confirmed the ban on Siasia. FIFA, while making the decision of its adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee on Siasia known through on its website, insisted that Mr. Siasia was notified about his life ban on Friday.

According to the statement it issued, “The decision was notified to Mr Siasia today, the date on which the ban comes into force.” Siasia was found guilty “of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics.”

FIFA had also said that, “The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Siasia were initiated on 11 February 2019 and stem from an extensive investigation into matches that Mr Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.

This large-scale investigation was conducted by FIFA via its competent departments and in cooperation with the relevant stakeholders and authorities. In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Siasia had breached art. 11 (Bribery) of the 2009 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics and banned him 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 has been imposed on Mr Siasia.”

(AFP/Vanguard)

Source: NewsTrack Nigeria