The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has said it has received documents, including one known as the Motivated Decision from FIFA regarding the life ban placed on former Super Eagles Coach, Samson Siasia, stressing that the documents have been handed to lawyers in order for them to provide legal advice to the Federation.
The Federation in a statement signed by NFF 2nd Vice President, Seyi Akinwunmi, who is also a lawyer of more than three decades, said the Federation was shocked over FIFA's decision and would make itself available to SIASIA who has promised to clear his name of all the allegations leveled against him.
“The NFF was shocked to learn of the investigation and subsequent decision by the FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber) placing a life ban on Siasia. But we have however now received documents, including one known as the Motivated Decision, and we have handed them to our lawyers to study and provide legal advice to the Federation.
“It is a massive sanction on one of our legends. Siasia is a football legend but most importantly he is a Nigerian. We must, therefore, be interested in the matter and be properly advised.
“Siasia gave his all for Nigeria, playing for the U20 team right from his secondary school days and then for the senior team for several years, and also coaching the U20 and U23 teams and the Super Eagles.
“While we respect the FIFA processes and appreciate that an investigation was conducted prior to the decision, the least we as a Federation can do is empathise with him at this time, make ourselves available to him and hope that in some way he is able to clear his name as he has promised to do.”
Punch reports that though Siasia denied knowledge of the investigation by FIFA, evidences surfaced online showing that he was earlier contacted via his electronic mail.
Video evidences also showed Singaporean Wilson Raj Perumal, who FIFA has called a ‘known match-fixer’ testifying to fixing Nigeria matches, with pictures of him and Siasia.
