Ghanaian football player, Yaw Yeboab has been handed a lifetime ban by Major League Soccer (MLS) alongside Derrick Jones.
Yaw Yeboah has played for Manchester United, Lille, Twente, Real Oviedo, Numancia, Celta B, Wisła Kraków, and Columbus Crew. He also appeared in the Ghana national team as a winger, an attacking midfielder and at wing-back.
The MLS, according to the BBC, said that the players were found to have “engaged in extensive gambling on soccer, including on their own teams” during the 2024 and 2025 seasons while playing for the Columbus Crew. The league investigators also believe they might have shared confidential information with other bettors.
Although Major League Soccer clubs have partnerships with betting platforms, it has an extremely strict policy against gambling and betting. Its players, referees, and officials are banned from betting on games in their sport.
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What the Ban Means for Yeboah
- A lifetime ban means Yeboah is permanently barred from signing with or playing for any MLS club. He cannot coach, work, train, or otherwise participate in league-sanctioned activities.
- At the time of the ban, Yeboah was playing for the Chinese club Qingdao Hainiu in the Chinese Super League. The Chinese super league is not a part of the MLS. The MLS ban does not automatically apply to other leagues in the world unless other governing bodies choose to enforce similar sanctions.
- Yeboah is no different from a white shirt with big permanent stains now. The ban has messed up his professional reputation, particularly in North America and potentially elsewhere. Clubs in other leagues or countries might now be reluctant to sign him, because they fear something similar might happen. Even if eligible to play somewhere else, his standing could be damaged with fans, teammates, and sponsors.