Life Ban: Siasia Drags FIFA To Court, Demands Refund Of $54k Fine

Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles player and coach, has instituted a legal action against FIFA over the federation’s earlier verdict banning him for life  from all football-related activities.

Recall that FIFA had in 2019 found Siasia guilty of  accepting to take bribes in order to influence and manipulate the outcome of matches.

The world football governing body had said the offence violated its code of ethics while the ban was also accompanied by a 50,000 Swiss francs ($54,000) fine.

On June 21, the sanction was however reduced to a five-year ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

The court had also ruled that the life ban handed to the Nigerian was “disproportionate” to the offence he was said to have committed.

But in a bizarre twist, Siasia filed a suit at a federal court in New York on Monday, challenging his initial conviction by FIFA.

In the suit filed through Nitor V. Egbarin, his counsel, the coach, who is also a US citizen, averred that his conviction by FIFA was a violation of his constitutional rights.

The football gaffer also challenged the legality of  the federation to sanction him, adding that only the United States has the legal backing to charge him for the bribery offence.

To corroborate his point in the suit, Siasia argued that FIFA had relied on the Swiss bribery law to effect his conviction, adding that “Georgia does not criminalize commercial bribery.”

“In convicting Siasia of bribery, FIFA relied on Swiss bribery law. If any crime was committed, only the FBI or Georgia State Police could investigate and bring charges of commercial bribery,” the suit partly read.

Siasia also claimed that FIFA did not follow due process in its investigation into the allegations against him before his eventual conviction for bribery.

FIFA Ban: Siasia Lauds CAS Decision, Says NFF, Ministry, Associates Abandoned Him

“Siasia was not aware of the bribery charge for which that FIFA indicted him until FIFA published to the whole world in or around Aug. 16, 2019, FIFA’s conviction and imposition of a life ban on Siasia from using the coach license issued under the laws of the United States,” the suit added.

Siasia said that FIFA’s fine and the decision to withdraw his license constituted “cruel and unusual punishment” which, he claimed, “violated provisions of the eighth amendment of the US law.”

In the suit, Siasia demanded among others, the reversing of his earlier conviction, a refund of the 50,000 Swiss francs ($54,000) fine handed to him, and a reversal of his five-year coaching ban.

The former Nigerian international also demanded that FIFA pays him reparations for allegedly violating his civil rights and bringing his reputation into disrepute.

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG