Siasia Sues FIFA In US Court, Wants Ban Overturned

Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia says FIFA ran afoul of
his constitutional rights after he was convicted of bribery.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in New York federal court, the former
Nigerian international claims only the US Government can charge
him.

The 53-year-old was initially sanctioned in 2019 by FIFA for
agreeing to “receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of
matches.”

But after he appealed against the life-ban, it was reduced to
five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

However, Siasia wants his conviction overturned, the $50,000
fine he paid returned, his five-year coaching ban reversed and
damages awarded for the alleged civil rights violations, according
to the Atlanta resident’s court papers.

“In convicting Siasia of bribery, FIFA relied on Swiss bribery
law. If any crime was committed, only the FBI or Georgia State
Police could investigate and bring charges of commercial bribery,”
his suit says, adding that “Georgia does not criminalize commercial
bribery.”

Siasia said FIFA violated his rights to due process under the
Fifth and 14th Amendments when it convicted him for his minor role
in a wide-ranging conspiracy to fix hundreds of matches by paying
off corrupt players and officials.

His suit also stated that FIFA’s imposing the fine and revoking
his license constituted “cruel and unusual punishment” barred by
the Eighth Amendment.

The coach was licensed through the United States Soccer
Federation, a FIFA affiliate, in 2009.

A year later, convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal offered
Siasia a coaching job in Australia where he would “play along” and
“close one eye” to Perumal’s dealings, the suit says.

In emails sent from Atlanta, Siasia expressed interest, and the
two went back and forth on terms but ultimately went their separate
ways, according to court papers.

FIFA learned about the messages during a Finnish probe into
Perumal and charged Siasia in 2019, yet it failed to properly
notify him, his suit says.

“Siasia was not aware of the bribery charge for which that FIFA
indicted him until FIFA published to the whole world in or around
August 16, 2019, FIFA’s conviction and imposition of a life ban on
Siasia from using the coach license issued under the laws of the
United States,” the suit says.

Former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia says FIFA ran afoul of
his constitutional rights after he was convicted of bribery.

In a lawsuit filed Monday in New York federal court, the former
Nigerian international claims only the US Government can charge
him.

The 53-year-old was initially sanctioned in 2019 by FIFA for
agreeing to “receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of
matches.”

But after he appealed against the life-ban, it was reduced to
five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports.

However, Siasia wants his conviction overturned, the $50,000
fine he paid returned, his five-year coaching ban reversed and
damages awarded for the alleged civil rights violations, according
to the Atlanta resident’s court papers.

“In convicting Siasia of bribery, FIFA relied on Swiss bribery
law. If any crime was committed, only the FBI or Georgia State
Police could investigate and bring charges of commercial bribery,”
his suit says, adding that “Georgia does not criminalize commercial
bribery.”

Siasia said FIFA violated his rights to due process under the
Fifth and 14th Amendments when it convicted him for his minor role
in a wide-ranging conspiracy to fix hundreds of matches by paying
off corrupt players and officials.

His suit also stated that FIFA’s imposing the fine and revoking
his license constituted “cruel and unusual punishment” barred by
the Eighth Amendment.

The coach was licensed through the United States Soccer
Federation, a FIFA affiliate, in 2009.

A year later, convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal offered
Siasia a coaching job in Australia where he would “play along” and
“close one eye” to Perumal’s dealings, the suit says.

In emails sent from Atlanta, Siasia expressed interest, and the
two went back and forth on terms but ultimately went their separate
ways, according to court papers.

FIFA learned about the messages during a Finnish probe into
Perumal and charged Siasia in 2019, yet it failed to properly
notify him, his suit says.

“Siasia was not aware of the bribery charge for which that FIFA
indicted him until FIFA published to the whole world in or around
August 16, 2019, FIFA’s conviction and imposition of a life ban on
Siasia from using the coach license issued under the laws of the
United States,” the suit says.