Two Ghanaian footballers banned for life following MLS scandal

Two Ghanaian footballers have received lifetime bans after a major betting investigation rocked Major League Soccer, with the league taking decisive action to protect the integrity of the competition.

Yaw Yeboah and Derrick Jones were both sanctioned after being found guilty of placing bets on football matches, including games involving their own teams.

Major League Soccer confirmed the severe punishments in an official statement released on Monday, announcing that both players had violated the league’s strict gambling regulations during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

According to the league’s investigation, the two footballers placed multiple wagers on matches, including bets linked to their own teams.

One particular incident involved a match between Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls on October 19, 2024. Investigators discovered that a bet had been placed predicting that Derrick Jones would receive a yellow card during the game, an event that eventually occurred during the match.

The suspicious activity was flagged by the league’s integrity monitoring partners, prompting MLS to place both players on administrative leave while a full investigation was conducted. The league emphasised that maintaining the credibility and fairness of the competition remains a central priority.

While the investigation did not uncover direct evidence that the match result was manipulated, MLS concluded that the players had still committed serious breaches of the league’s gambling policies.

Officials believe the players may have shared confidential information with external bettors, particularly regarding the planned yellow card incident.

At the time of the investigation, Yeboah had been playing for Los Angeles FC, while Jones was part of the Columbus Crew squad that won the MLS Cup in 2024. However, neither player was under contract with an MLS club by the time the investigation concluded.

Yeboah had already left LAFC and moved to China after his contract was terminated, while Jones has been without a club since the beginning of the year.

MLS commissioner Don Garber used the case to call for reforms in betting markets related to MLS matches. He specifically highlighted concerns about wagers linked to yellow cards, warning that such betting options could undermine the fairness of the game.

The league also announced plans to expand education programs for players while continuing to enforce strict rules against gambling on football.