Curfew-breaking Japan players face JFA probe

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Seven Japan players who allegedly broke curfew in a late-night drinking session will be asked to explain why they flouted team rules, the Japan Football Association (JFA) said on Sunday.

The players were said to have thrown sushi and verbally abused female staff during a night out on February 9, during a Japan training camp in Kashima, north of Tokyo.

"The JFA will speak to all the players and ask them to explain what happened. If true, then it's important for them to know how serious it is to break JFA rules," JFA press manager Hideto Teshima told Reuters.

"However, they did not commit a traffic accident and nobody got injured, so I doubt it will be too much of an issue. The JFA will probably just give them a warning."

Weekly magazine "Shukan Gendai" is set to publish an article of the incident on Monday, reporting that the seven players, including World Cup midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara, acted improperly during their curfew-breaking visit to a local bar.

"Magazines make all sorts of lurid claims, including incidents of sexual harassment or whatever," said Teshima.

"If the players were there, then they broke JFA rules. But we will see each of them in turn before making any decision."

Japan coach Zico and JFA president Saburo Kawabuchi will be consulted before officials decide on what form of punishment, if any, will be meted out.

Three days after the incident, Japan struggled to beat Iraq 2-0 in Tokyo, their final warm-up for the Asian 2006 World Cup qualifying competition.

Japan scraped a 1-0 win over Oman in their opening qualifier on February 18 after an injury-time goal from Tatsuhiko Kubo, also said to have been one of the curfew breakers.

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