Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia completes five-year FIFA ban over match-fixing

Samson Siasia, a former Super Eagles player and coach, has officially completed a five-year ban imposed by FIFA over match-fixing allegations. 

Originally handed a lifetime ban, Siasia’s penalty was reduced to five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in 2019, which ruled that a lifetime ban was excessive for a first-time offender who played a passive role in the offence.

The reduced ban, effective from August 16, 2019, has now ended, and while Siasia has not publicly confirmed his next steps, speculation is rife that he may take up a coaching role with Mighty Jets Football Club in Jos.

The match-fixing case dates back to 2010 when a match-fixer tried to involve Siasia by offering him a coaching job at a club under his control in exchange for fielding certain players. However, negotiations broke down after the club either declined or was unable to meet Siasia’s demands, and the matter did not progress further.

CAS, in their ruling, emphasized the need for the punishment to serve as a deterrent, though they acknowledged that Siasia’s involvement was limited. The imposed fine of CHF 50,000 was also set aside by CAS.

Samson Siasia’s football career has been illustrious both as a player and a coach. He earned 51 caps for Nigeria, scoring 13 goals, and was part of the celebrated 1994 FIFA World Cup team and the 1994 African Nations Cup-winning squad. As a coach, he led Nigeria’s Under-20 team to the final of the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the African Youth Championship title. He also coached Nigeria’s U-23 team to a silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a bronze in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Siasia briefly served as head coach of the Super Eagles in 2016.