4 Peru players suspended

Lima:

Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro was among four Peru internationals suspended from the national team on Friday for holding a hotel party before losing to Ecuador in a World Cup qualifier.

Jefferson Farfan of PSV Eindhoven, Andres Mendoza of Ukraine's Metallurg, and Santiago Acasiete of Spain's Almeria also were suspended by the Peruvian Football Federation's commission in charge of the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.

"We have decided on a definitive suspension," commission head Juvenal Silva said. "We've been firm and have decided unanimously to suspend these players."

The federation must ratify the commission's decision.

The scandal erupted after Peruvian journalist Jaime Bayly reported on his weekly television program "The Sharpshooter" that some national players were "drinking with women" in their hotel after the 1-1 draw with Brazil on Nov 18 in Lima.

Three days later, Peru lost to Ecuador 5-1 in Quito and lie ninth in the 10-team South American standings.

The players were supposed to abstain from partying during the qualifying rounds, which Peru officials call "a period of concentration."

Silva said Peru manager Jose del Solar was not to blame.