Former Super Eagles coach Samson Yebowei Siasia has completed a five-year ban imposed on him by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).
Recall that due to accusations of accepting bribes and manipulating matches, FIFA permanently barred the 57-year-old coach from all football-related activity on August 16, 2019. But once his appeal was considered, the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) subsequently lowered the punishment to five years.
The Court of Appeals dismissed the argument that a life sentence was excessive for a first offence that was committed quietly and had no immediate negative impact on football stakeholders.
Instead, the CAS panel concluded at the time that a five-year ban would still serve the intended purpose of holding the seasoned coach accountable for his actions.
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Siasia’s most notably played for FC Nantes, a French team, where he won the league in 1994–95. Along with fellow Nigerian Peter Anosike, he played for the Australian club Perth Glory and also represented Saudi Arabia, Israel, Belgium, and Portugal.
In his 51 international games, he scored thirteen goals for Nigeria. He was a member of the squad that won the 1994 African Nations Cup and competed in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Additionally, he competed for Nigeria at the 1992 African Nations Cup in Senegal, where they took home the bronze. He spent more than 11 years playing for the national team, and he was regarded as Nigeria’s third-best scorer.
