Ex-Super Eagles’ striker and head coach, Samson Yebowei Siasia has received a final warning from Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for him to pay up his case fee and face the setback of losing the October date that has been fixed for his appeal on a life ban hand him by world soccer governing body, FIFA.
The 57-year-old Siasia, who had a 15-year career with the Eagles as a player and was head coach in two terms from 2010 to 2012 as well as in 2016, with two terms also in charge of the under-23 squad (2008 and 2016) and a couple with the under-20s (2005 and 2009), was banned for alleged agreement with a Singaporean football huistler top fix some of Nigeria’s matches.
Megasportsarena.com gathered that the man Siasia is said to have been found culpable with was a serial match-fixer, who served prison time for past offences and had previously allegedly tried to influence results of games involving Nigeria.
Although FIFA were not specific about any time or particular match of Siasia’s alleged violations, the ex-international was banned for life from football activities and fined CHF50,000 (£42,000), after the global body declared him guilty of agreeing to take bribes to manipulate matches.
FIFA’s stated: “The adjudicatory chamber of the independent ethics committee has found Mr Samson Siasia, a former official of the Nigeria Football Federation, guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the Fifa code of ethics.
“The formal ethics proceedings against Mr Siasia were initiated on February 11, 2019, and stem from an extensive investigation into matches Mr Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.”
Siasia, though, has now gone to CAS in search of a ruling that would overturn FIFA’s verdict and, after struggling to raise the required funds for his case to be heard, the arbitration body has now fixed October 6 to hear him, after the initial date of March 19 was moved due to coronavirus.
The Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations gold medalist and USA ’94 World Cup star now in a race to pay up his appeals fee in order to have his case heard, as CAS has reminded him in a letter about his outstanding money, warning him that he could lose his date in October should he fail to pay.
CAS stated: “Samson Siasia shall pay the total amount of CHF 100’000 (One hundred thousand Swiss francs) to the CAS bank account. The estimate includes the CAS administrative costs and the costs and fees if the Panel. Accordingly, the first advance of costs in the arbitration CAS 2019/A/6439 Samson Siasia v Fifa shall be fixed at CHF 100’000 (One hundred thousand Swiss francs).
“If a party fails to pay its share, another may substitute for it, in case of nonpayment within the time limit fixed by CAS, the request/appeal shall be deemed withdrawn and the CAS shall terminate the arbitration, this provision applies mutatis mutandis to any counterclaims. Fifa does not pay any arbitration cost in advance when it acts as Respondent in a procedure before CAS, which is admissible to CAS pursuant to Article R 64.2 of the Code.”
