Featured
Match Fixing: Siaisa Insist He Is Innocent
Match Fixing: Siaisa Insist He Is Innocent
Joel Ajayi
As the March 19, 2020 date for former Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Samson Siasia’s Appeal at Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) approaches, the former International insisted that he did not collect any bribe to fix any match and that he only negotiated negotiated terms after being headhunted by someone who approached him for a coaching job.
He never knew and could not have known the man was involved or convicted for match-fixing. He has not seen or heard from the man since the cancelled negotiations back in April 2010 until he read about his life ban by FIFA in the media last August.
Siasia was banned for life by world football governing body FIFA in August 2019 August 2019 on the accusation that he agreed to receive bribes and for match fixing.
“In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Siasia had breached art. 11 (Bribery) of the 2009 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics and banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level,” part of the FIFA statement read.
FIFA say the proceedings against Siasia stemmed from an ‘extensive investigation into matches that’ a certain Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.
Although the specific game was not mentioned by FIFA, Perumal, a confessed match-fixer from Singapore had claimed in his book that he helped Nigeria to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
“It is clear that Fifa relied only on some emails about 10 years ago when I was approached for a possible coaching job and not for match fixing or bribery as FIFA claimed they banned me for life for.
“It is clear that I was falsely accused of match fixing. Despite not fixing any match and despite not receiving any money FIFA insisted on banning me for life just for being approached to take up a coaching job”, Siasia disclosed to SPORTINGLIFE yesterday.
The former Super Eagles Coach claimed he was negotiating for a coaching job with someone who contacted him for the job. It so happened that this man had been convicted for match fixing. But Siasia didn’t know that the man was convicted for match fixing.
FIFA assumed that Siasia knew him and was discussing match fixing. The former Eagles’ Coach however was only discussing the terms for the job according to him.
The lawyers representing Siasia are now seeking justice in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and their prayers are: To lift the ban, quash the fine and reinstate the Appellant’s Status in football and his costs ameliorated.
The embattled Coach has thanked some concerned Nigerians who stood up to help him so far and those who have been encouraging him not to lose hope in his fight to clear his name in the bribery and match the fixing allegations. He also solicited for financial support to be able to attend the appeal.
Business
FG To Seize Mortgaged Property of Defualting Retiring Public Servants
Joel Ajayi
Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board will henceforth seize mortgaged properties of retiring federal public servants who failed to fully repay the housing loans advanced to them by the board.
In a statement issued by the Staff Housing Loans Board Head, Information & PRU Obiechina Ngozi on Wednesday in Abuja reveals that this is in accordance with the Public Service Rules 021002 (p) as issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The OHCSF sent out the memo as a reminder for the federal public servants who are about to retire to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Public Service Rules.
The memo reads; “I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-indebtedness to the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) and any MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, as issued by the OHCSF, as a prerequisite for retirement.”
“Further to the above, it should be noted that in the event of exiting the service prior to full repayment of the housing loan advanced by the FGSHLB, the Board shall exercise its legal right to seize the mortgaged property.”
Speaking on the above, Salamatu Ladi Ahmed, Executive Secretary, FGSHLB, reiterated that the warning is also for retired officers who defaulted.
She stated that the management of the Board, on its part, is compiling the list of all retired federal public servants who are still owing the housing loans they obtained while in service, to be sent to relevant regulatory agencies to recover the debts from them.
FGSHLB is committed to ensuring that all public servants comply with this rule and obtain the necessary Certificate of Non-indebtedness before retirement, and urge all those affected to take immediate action and settle any outstanding debts or liabilities with the Board.
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