The Japanese Football Association (JFA) has terminated its contract with national team coach Javier Aguirre (pictured), after he was charged as part of a match-fixing inquiry currently taking place in Valencia. ‘As the charge was officially accepted, we had to consider the possibility that head coach Aguirre would be summoned and prosecuted in the future’, read a JFA statement. ‘As we have the World Cup Asian qualifier in June, it could affect the development of the Japan national team and as the JFA, we need to eliminate the risks. As for head coach Aguirre, we think that it would be best for him to protect his own credibility and concentrate on potential criminal procedures to prove his own innocence…as we have repeatedly explained, we have not confirmed as a fact that Aguirre was involved in match-fixing.’ The JFA statement also said that it would terminate contracts with head coach Stuart Gelling, physical coach Juan Iribarren and goalkeeping coach Ricardo Lopez.

A total of 42 individuals have been named in the Valencia inquiry, which was brought forward by the Spanish state prosecutor. It relates to the alleged fixing of a 2011 La Liga match, where Real Zaragoza beat Levante 2-1, saving the club from relegation. It is understood that the allegations centre on a €965,000 payment made to players, initiated by Real Zaragoza’s board of directors.

Mexican Aguirre, who was coach of Zaragoza at the time, will be the first to give evidence on 27 February. Manchester United defender Ander Herrera will fly to Spain on 5 March, a day after the club’s game against Newcastle United, to also give evidence. Atletico Madrid captain Gabi and former Zaragoza President Agapito Inglesias are amongst the others named in the court filing, published in December last year.