By Uzor Odigbo
Former Super Eagles coach and ex-international Samson Siasia will have his case against FIFA heard on Tuesday 6th, October at the Swisszerland based Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
Siasia is appealing against the decision of FIFA that banned him over allegations of attempting to fix an unnamed match.
Siasia’s appeal, which is named ‘Samson Siasia vs FIFA, has the case number CAS 2019/A/6439.
On the same day, it was also gathered that another case involving Pafos FC of Cyprus and Portuguese footballer vs Nuno Henrique Goncalves Nogueira will be entertained.
Both cases are listed by CAS which will also in the following day entertain the case of former Liberian FA president and CAF member, Musa Bility who is trying to upturn a FIFA 10-year ban imposed on him last year for misappropriating funds.
In all the cases, CAS noted that they were published for information purposes only.
In general, CAS hearings are not open to the public. Also, due to the travel restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, some hearings may be conducted by video conference. It is most likely that the one involving Samson Siasia will also be by video conference.
The former international who is undoubtedly the most decorated coach in the Olympics having led Nigerian teams to winning the silver medal in 2008 and bronze in 2016, is claiming that he was banned without being given a fair hearing.
The case was to have been heard on 19 March, but had to be shifted owing to global lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, the world arbitration body on disputes in sports had written Siasia on 27 December 2019 inviting him and FIFA representatives and their witnesses to appear at the hearing scheduled to hold at 9.30 hours Swiss time