Former Super Eagles striker (and later coach) Samson Siasia has been banned for life and fined $50,000 by FIFA for agreeing to the manipulation of matches. Siasia was coach of Nigeria between 2010-2011 and for a spell in 2016 but the time period when FIFA believes he committed his infractions is unclear. He has also served as coach of the country’s Under-20 and Under-23 sides.

In a statement, Siasia was found guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches. The sanction stems from an ongoing large-scale investigation FIFA is conducting into the behaviour of Wilson Raj Perumal, a convicted match-fixer from Singapore. He is the third African to be banned by FIFA for his links to Perumal after former Sierra Leone FA official Abu Bakarr Kabba and former Botswana FA official Mooketsi Kgotlele were suspended in July for five years and for life respectively. Siasia won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria. He made 50 international appearances and scored 16 goals. This is another blow for Siasia who recently had his mother kidnapped at their home state of Bayelsa in Nigeria.