March 9 (Reuters) - Major League Soccer has handed lifetime bans to midfielder Derrick Jones and winger Yaw Yeboah for violating its gambling policy, the league announced on Monday.

Jones, 29, played 23 games for Columbus Crew in 2024 and 2025, while 28-year-old Yeboah was his teammate before joining Los Angeles FC in January 2025 after three seasons at the Crew.

Suspicious betting alerts were investigated by the MLS who said the two players engaged in extensive gambling on matches, including on their own teams, during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

The violations included Jones' time at Columbus and Yeboah's stints with the Crew in 2024 and LAFC in 2025.

In one instance, both players wagered on Jones receiving a yellow card during the Crew's 3-2 win at the New York Red Bulls in an October 19, 2024 match, which he did.

Investigators also determined that the pair likely shared confidential information with other gamblers about their intent to draw bookings, though no evidence emerged that any of the activity influenced the outcome of matches.

Both players were provisionally suspended in October 2025 pending the investigation. Yeboah, who has been capped by Ghana, joined Chinese Super League side Qingdao Hainiu after a mutual agreement to terminate his contract with LAFC in January.

Ghana-born Jones, who has played for the U.S. at under-20 and under-23 level, is currently without a club after being released by the Crew in November.

Commissioner Don Garber said in a statement that the MLS "will continue to enforce its policies, enhance education efforts and advocate for the elimination of yellow card wagering in all states to protect the integrity of our competition for clubs, players, and fans."

(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)