Super Eagles coach Salisu Yusuf banned and fined N1,793,400.00 by the NFF
Super Eagles coach Salisu Yusuf has been banned for one year and fined $5,000 (N1,793,400.00) by The Nigerian Football Federation(NFF) for accepting a bribe from undercover journalists posing as football agents.
Coach Salisu Yusuf was found guilty by the NFF ethics and fair play committee for accepting $1,000 (N358, 680.00) after he was caught on camera being asked to select two players for the 2018 CHAN African Nations Championship.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the NFF said “He (Salisu Yusuf) is hereby banned for the period of one year, from partaking or involvement or participation in any football-related activity, effective from the date of this decision, he is also fined in the sum of $5,000 to be paid within three months of the date of this decision.”
The former coach of Enyimba and Kano Pillars, he also helped senior men’s team coach Gernot Rohr in the Super Eagles to this year’s World Cup in Russia has an appeal option after he denied any wrongdoing.
Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas who aired the footage on BBC said the report was part of a wider investigation into corruption in African football. Yusuf responded saying he only received $750, not $1,000 and it was a “gift of trivial and symbolic value”, that was acceptable within NFF and FIFA guidelines.
But the committee headed by Nuhu Ribadu said the Salisu action has “a damaging effect on the reputation and integrity of Nigerian football”, and also added that “he ought to have conducted himself more professionally, as his conduct in public and in secret should be exemplary since coaches are role models.”
Kwesi Nyantakyi, the Head of the Ghana Football Association also resigned after he was exposed like Yusuf for soliciting bribes and kickbacks.
