FIFA Ban: I was Abandoned By Everyone - Siasia Laments

I was Abandoned By Everyone - Siasia Laments By Sampson Adedeji Former Nigeria's Super Eagles player and coach, Samson Siasia has lamented his ordeal after he was slammed with a life ban by World soccer governing body (FIFA), BSNSports.com.ng can reports. Few month back, FIFA banned the former Nantes FC player with life ban from all football related activities and also fined him $50,000 for getting involved in match fixing. The Court For Arbitration for Sports (CAS) earlier in the week reduced the ban to 5 years and also set aside the proposed fine slammed on former Nigeria international. While speaking to New Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Siasia said sports ministry, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) including friends abandoned him all through his travails. “When the life ban pronouncement was first declared by FIFA, I met with the Minister of Youth and Sports Development who barely resumed office then and briefed him, but all the minister could say was that there was no money. “But I have invested in human beings in this country by training lots of young players who are stars today. “How will I fight FIFA? I don’t have that strength, but the government can stand up and stand for me. But everyone left me in the dark. “Even my close friends abandoned me. Even, for the Legends Game organised by FIFA, I have not been invited again. I don’t know what I did to them even when I wasn’t guilty of what I was accused of,” he said. Siasia have handled all Nigeria National teams at all levels except U17 national teams.