MAJOR LEAGUE has issued lifetime bans to two players after uncovering serious betting violations.
Midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah received permanent suspensions after an investigation into gambling activities during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Investigation Finds Extensive Betting
MLS said both players placed multiple bets on soccer matches. Some of those bets involved games played by their own teams.
The league also revealed that the players bet on specific events during matches. In one case, they reportedly wagered that Jones would receive a yellow card.
The incident occurred during a match between Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls on 19 October 2024. Jones later received the yellow card during the game.
At the time, Jones and Yeboah were teammates at Columbus Crew.
Possible Sharing of Inside Information
MLS said investigators believe the players may have shared confidential team information with other bettors.
However, the league added that there was no evidence that any of the betting activities influenced the final outcome of a match.
Players’ Career Background
Yaw Yeboah, who has represented Ghana national football team, recently joined Qingdao Hainiu after leaving Los Angeles FC earlier this year.
Earlier in his career, Yeboah was signed by Manchester City but did not play a first-team match. He later had loan spells at clubs including Lille OSC, FC Twente, and Real Oviedo.
Derrick Jones spent his entire professional career in the United States. He played for teams such as Philadelphia Union, Nashville SC, Houston Dynamo, Charlotte FC, and Columbus Crew.
Jones also represented the United States U20 national team and the United States U23 national team earlier in his career.
Strict Gambling Rules in MLS
Major League Soccer enforces strict rules that prohibit players and staff from betting on soccer matches. The league said the lifetime bans reflect the seriousness of the violations.
Officials stressed that protecting the integrity of the sport remains a top priority.
