FIFA bans former Nigeria coach over match fixing

Lagos, Aug 17 (IANS) Former Nigeria national team coach Samson Siasia has been banned by FIFA for life following a match-fixing probe.FIFA, in a statement on Friday, said that the adjudicatory chamber of their independent Ethics Committee found that Siasia was guilty of having accepted bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics, reports Xinhua news agency. The former international played 51 times as a striker for the Nigerian national team and later coached various national youth sides.The case is the latest to emerge from FIFA's long-running investigation into the activities of Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, who FIFA has called a "known match fixer" and who has admitted such activity in several interviews.FIFA said Siasia was banned for life "from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level".Siasia was appointed Super Eagles head coach from 2010 to 2011. He was reappointed for a short spell in 2016.
--IANS aak/ksk