FIFA Ban: Siasia Resorts to GoFundMe to Raise Money for His Appeal At CAS

FIFA Ban: Siasia Resorts to GoFundMe to Raise Money for His Appeal At CAS

By Admin

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has come out to beg Nigerians to donate Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for him to be able raise funds to appeal his FIFA ban, BSNSports.com.ng can report.

Siasia claimed he is innocent of the allegation leveled against him leading to his ban in all football related matters.

World football governing body, FIFA, banned Samson Siasia "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 (US$250,000) was imposed on Mr Siasia.

However, further probe revealed later that Siasia was banned after failing to respond to, (or appear) email requests from FIFA to appear before the Ethics Committee to present his defence.

With the decision, Siasia's next recourse was to head for CAS, but to file an appeal required the former international to pay $250,000 excluding his legal costs.

Close associates of the former Nigeria coach revealed that Siasia has been in depression for the last few months.

Apart from the case with FIFA/CAS, his mother was kidnapped and was with the criminal gang for months before allowed to go after a ransom was paid. It was the second time the 76-year old lady was taken into custody by the kidnappers.

Siasia coached Nigeria's Super Eagles between 2010-2011 and returned for another spell in 2016 and also served as coach of the country's Under-20 and Under-23 sides at different times.

But the FIFA indictment did not state if it was during either of these periods that the alleged infractions was committed.

Siasia has continued to protest his innocence, saying he had no recollection of ever agreeing to manipulate any football match and has also said in previous interviews that members of the Super Eagles team he played with have not offered him the kind of support he needed.

"But I will fight to the last to clear my name because I know that I did nothing wrong.

"I only heard about all of this for the first time just like everybody else on social media and then I got a call from (NFF President) Amaju Pinnick asking me if I had seen any letter from FIFA.

"I said no and he asked me to check. That was when I checked my email. But I know that I am innocent and I am asking everybody to help me raise this money to clear my name."