Sports
My five-year ban from football terrible, Siasia laments
Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has admitted how terrible he feels being away from football.
Siasia was banned from all football activities for life in August 2019 by the world football body FIFA and fined $50,000 for agreeing to ‘the manipulation of matches’ for betting purposes.
According to FIFA, Siasia’s ban emanated from an extensive investigation into matches that Wilson Perumal attempted to fix.
But in 2021, after an appeal, his ban was reduced to five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sports which lapsed in August 2024 and the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner can’t wait to return to football.
“I thought I was going to be free by this year (2023) and I was so excited,” Siasia said in a radio interview on Kennis 104.1FM monitored by our correspondent.
“But I had to look through the document that FIFA served me, and I found out that it was going to be next year.
“By next year, in August 2024, I will be free from the FIFA ban, and hopefully I will be back to football.
“Irrespective of what happened, I have learned my lessons, but FIFA, who initially gave me a life ban in football, could not prove anything wrong with what they claimed I did. But they had to reduce it to a five-year ban, and it will expire next year. I thank God for that.
“It has been terrible to be away from football for five years, but I am preparing myself to come back to football, so I have to prepare myself so I can start ‘running’ once I resume by next year.”
Siasia also recounted the ordeal his men’s U-23 team went through prior to the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Nigerian team overcame several challenges to arrive Rio on matchday before defeating Japan 4-3 in their opening group game.
He said, “We were abandoned ahead of our opener (against Japan), but we came into Rio on the same day, played Japan the same day, and won our opener the same day by 4-3.
“The Japanese billionaire, Dr. Katsuya Takasu was so amazed and wanted to see the coach of the team and handed me a cheque for $200,000″. “He also appreciated the team as a whole.”
Siasia also urged the country’s sports administrators to celebrate medal winners at major tournaments.
“My bronze medal is still in my house in the United States of America, but it’s so sad that Nigeria does not appreciate those who win laurels at the Olympics,” he continued.
“It must not be gold always, but once an athlete win either silver or bronze, they ought to be appreciated.
“Our bronze at the Rio Olympics was the only medal Nigeria won at that Olympics, but it was not celebrated.
“We were not received at the airport and no one appreciated us or talked about it. It’s shameful and not fair.
“We have to first celebrate the medals won before looking forward to winning another, so that the younger ones who see athletes being appreciated will look forward to winning for Nigeria, and that is how it should be,” Siasia said.
Siasia is the only Nigerian coach to have won two Olympic medals with the U-23 team at two different Olympics.
The 56-year-old won the silver with the dream team at Beijing 2008 and also won the bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Manchester United have reportedly sacked Michael Carrick following an internal review conducted by the club over the past 48 hours.
Carrick was informed of the decision on Thursday, November 12, 2026, bringing his spell in charge of the Premier League giants to an end.
The decision reportedly followed a series of internal discussions and an assessment of the club’s current situation, with the management deciding to part ways with the former Manchester United midfielder.
Carrick’s departure marks another managerial change at Old Trafford as the club looks to chart a new course and revive its fortunes.
The club is yet to officially announce his departure.
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has alleged that officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) prevented him from greeting members of the country’s Under-17 women’s national football team, the Flamingos, at an airport.
Obi claimed that the officials were afraid of losing their jobs if they allowed him to approach and welcome the players.
The former Anambra State governor made the allegation in a post on his X handle on Monday, expressing concern over what he described as the growing culture of toxic politics in Nigeria.
According to him, he arrived at the airport around 7 a.m. to board a flight to Enugu when he sighted the Flamingos, who had just returned to the country and were preparing to leave the airport.
Obi said he subsequently asked his Protocol Officer, Jackie Wayas, to find out whether he could approach the players and congratulate them.
However, he alleged that the NFF officials turned down the request, insisting that he should not be allowed to interact with the team.
“I was informed that officials of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) had refused and had requested that I not approach them because, if I did, they would all lose their jobs,” Obi wrote.
He further claimed that the incident was not the first time he had been prevented from interacting with members of a Nigerian national team.
Recalling an incident on March 25, 2025, Obi said that when he travelled to Uyo for a World Cup qualifying match, the state governor warmly received him at the VIP stand.
He alleged that after the match, when other government officials went to greet the players, he was prevented from doing the same, with officials reportedly citing fears of losing their jobs.
Obi expressed concern that what he described as the culture of toxic politics had continued to worsen since 2025, adding that the situation appeared to deteriorate with each passing year.
He maintained that political differences should not be allowed to undermine national unity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.
“The new Nigeria we aspire to build must have no room for hostility, intimidation, or discrimination, regardless of political affiliation.
“It must be a Nigeria in which unity, mutual respect, and our shared humanity take precedence over political differences,” he added.
The Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday following their 2-1 victory over Japan in the final of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Rabat, Morocco.
A football referee in Brazil has reportedly issued 51 red cards following a mass brawl involving players and officials during a youth football match between Uberlandia and Mamore.
The incident occurred during a Minas Gerais Under-20 Second Division encounter on Sunday, with the confrontation reportedly lasting about 40 minutes before military police intervened.
According to Brazilian newspaper O Tempo, the violence erupted in the 54th minute after Mamore player Davi allegedly taunted the opposing team’s bench while celebrating his side’s third goal.
The situation reportedly escalated when Uberlandia’s goalkeeping coach, Paulo Sérgio Dias Dos Santos, ran onto the pitch to confront the player.
A video of the incident, which went viral on Thursday, showed the scale of the chaotic confrontation.
Chairs and stretchers were allegedly used as weapons during the melee, while the referee’s report claimed that ball boys representing Uberlandia also joined the violence, throwing punches and kicks.
The match official, Drosghic Modesto, further alleged that he received death threats and other threats of violence from different individuals following the incident. He subsequently filed a police report over the threats.
The match was suspended for 40 minutes before it was eventually abandoned.
The referee reportedly issued 51 red cards, comprising 43 players and eight members of the two teams’ technical crews.
According to Guinness World Records, the previous record for the highest number of red cards in a single football match was 36, recorded during an Argentine Primera D fixture in 2011.
The latest incident has drawn attention to the disturbing level of violence that can erupt during football matches.
Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 41, bringing an end to his 23-year career with the national team.
Ronaldo announced his decision on Thursday in a video shared on his official Instagram account, expressing gratitude to the Portuguese people for their support throughout his international career.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner made 234 appearances for Portugal, scoring 146 goals to become the country’s all-time leading scorer and the highest goalscorer in men’s international football.
In his retirement message, Ronaldo said it was time to hand over the iconic number seven jersey to the next generation of Portuguese players.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons players have received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each, while members of the technical crew and officials received $50,000 each, following the fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu’s financial pledge to the team for winning the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The National Sports Commission (NSC) announced the payment in a statement on Monday, describing it as the completion of the financial component of the presidential reward package for the team’s record-extending 10th continental title.
The players had earlier received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, alongside certificates of the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).
NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, commended President Tinubu for fulfilling his promise, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to recognising sporting excellence.
“The Super Falcons made Nigeria proud, and Mr President has honoured his commitment to them in full. This means a great deal to the team and to Nigerian sports,” Dikko said.
He expressed appreciation to the President for ensuring that the promised rewards were delivered within a short period.
The commission attributed the successful payment to collaboration between the NSC and the Ministries of Finance, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development.
Dikko noted that the fulfilment of the promise represented a departure from previous experiences in which Nigerian athletes had to wait several years before receiving rewards announced by the government.
He urged Nigerian athletes to draw encouragement from the development, assuring them that their sacrifices and achievements would be recognised.
The Super Falcons clinched their 10th WAFCON title in July 2025 after staging a remarkable comeback from two goals down to defeat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final in Rabat.
Tinubu announced the reward package during a presidential reception for the team on July 28, 2025, promising each player the naira equivalent of $100,000 and members of the technical crew $50,000 each.
He also promised the team three-bedroom apartments and national honours.
The development follows a similar reward arrangement for Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, whose players received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each in September 2026 after winning their fifth consecutive Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025.
Members of the basketball team’s technical crew and officials also received $50,000 each, alongside housing documents and OON certificates.
In December 2025, the Federal Government also presented housing title documents and national honours to members of the Super Eagles following their silver-medal finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.
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