El Salvador suspends 22 soccer players in match-fixing inquiry of Gold Cup, other games

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – El Salvador's soccer federation says it has suspended 22 players in an investigation into alleged match-fixing by the national team.

Federation President Carlos Mendez Cabezas says the players who participated in the suspect matches will be suspended for 30 days as a precaution. He says the national prosecutor's office is assisting the inquiry.

Mendez Cabezas says the games under scrutiny include El Salvador's 5-0 Gold Cup loss to Mexico on July 5, 2011, as well as a 2-1 loss to the United States on Feb. 24, 2010, a 1-0 loss to D.C. United on July 19, 2010, and a 4-1 loss to Paraguay on Feb. 6, 2012.

He says El Salvador will play no more games until complaints about the matches are resolved.