ABUJA, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Former coach of Nigeria's national soccer team Samson Siasia was appealing a life ban against him by the world football governing body FIFA.

Siasia's spokesman said here on Tuesday that his lawyers has submitted an appeal at the Court of Arbitration of Sports in Switzerland, asking the court to halt FIFA's decision until his appeal is heard.

FIFA on August 16 imposed the ban on Siasia, the coach who led Nigeria to two Olympic Games medals, for agreeing to fix soccer matches.

According to the football governing body, Siasia was "guilty" as he had agreed to receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation. FIFA did not specify which games were investigated as it also fined Siasia 50,000 Swiss francs (around 50,655 US dollars).

Opukiri Jones-Ere, the coach's spokesman and associate, said Siasia had galvanized all resources and the deserved courage to clear his name and unchain himself from the FIFA ban which hit him unexpectedly.

"He has also vowed to go to the end of his life to show that he is innocent," the spokesman said.

Siasia coached Nigeria from December 2010 through October 2011 and again in 2016 when he led his team to beat Honduras 3-2 for the bronze medal in the 2016 Olympic Games. He also coached Nigeria to silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Siasia is the latest person involved in the Rio Olympics to be convicted by FIFA of match-fixing. In 2017, Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey was banned from soccer for life. Enditem

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