FIFA ban: ‘You’re lying’ — Dare reacts to Siasia’s claim of abandonment

Sunday Dare, minister for youth and sports development, has kicked against a claim by Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles player and coach, that the ministry abandoned him during his life ban from football activities.

In 2019, FIFA found Siasia  “guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches” and handed him a life ban from all football-related activities.

However, the sanction was reduced significantly reduced to a five-year ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

Reacting to his reduced ban, the multiple Olympics medalist had alleged that his ex-teammates and sports ministry all abandoned him during the period of the life ban.

“The most disappointing moments were when your colleagues that you played with never called you to ask you how you’re doing. Even the legend games – I don’t know what FIFA ban had to do with legend games – they don’t even invite me or put me amongst whatever they are doing. So I’m very disappointed with that,” he had said.

“The minister for sports came in few weeks after my ban. And the minister called me and said, ‘coach, I know about your problem, but we don’t have money.’”

In his reaction on Monday, Dare said Siasia “was not telling the truth” while alleging that he received “cash” from the ministry.

The minister also claimed that the federal government “will come out with the facts” that show the ministry helped the former Super Eagles forward through those turbulent times.

“Siasia is not telling the truth, and the ministry and the FG will come out with the facts. Of the cash he collected, of the efforts we made. He is not telling the truth,” he said.