Major League Soccer has taken one of the strongest disciplinary actions in its history by issuing lifetime bans to two players following an investigation into sports betting violations and integrity breaches. The players involved are Derrick Jones and Yaw Yeboah. According to the league’s findings, both athletes placed multiple bets on soccer matches during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The investigation was conducted by the law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP, which examined betting activity and possible manipulation of in-game events.

One of the most critical points in the report revealed that the players specifically bet on Jones receiving a yellow card during a match against the New York Red Bulls in October 2024. The yellow card indeed occurred during the game, raising serious concerns that the action may have been intentionally provoked to generate financial profit.

The league’s official statement also suggested that the players may have shared confidential information with other bettors regarding their intention to force certain actions during matches, particularly the yellow card incident.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber responded firmly, reiterating the league’s zero-tolerance stance toward betting violations. Garber emphasized that the organization will continue strengthening its integrity policies and advocating for the elimination of betting markets involving yellow cards.

Although the investigation found no evidence that these activities influenced the final results of the matches, the lifetime bans were imposed to protect the credibility of the competition and to send a strong message about the importance of transparency in professional soccer.

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