Japan terminate Aguirre’s contract due to Spanish inquiryMexican coach, named in investigation, denies wrongdoingFA: ‘We want to avoid any influence on the team’

Japan’s FA have terminated the contract of the coach Javier Aguirre due to the Mexican’s involvement in an ongoing match-fixing investigation.

Aguirre has denied any wrongdoing after being named in a Spanish anti-corruption investigation, and the JFA had stood by him during last month’s Asian Cup.

But in a news conference broadcast live on Japanese television, the JFA head Kuniya Daini said it had decided to part ways with the Mexican, fearing any court case could be a distraction during Japan’s campaign to qualify for the next World Cup.

“We have decided that we will cancel Aguirre’s contract,” Daini said. “First of all we’d like to convey to coach Aguirre that the reason for the cancellation is that we want to avoid any influence to the national team on their preparation for World Cup and we want to avoid those risks. There is a possibility that he will be indicted and then a court case could begin.”

Spain’s anti-corruption prosecutor named Aguirre in a probe into Real Zaragoza’s 2-1 win at Levante on the final day of the 2010-11 La Liga campaign, when Aguirre’s Zaragoza side won to avoid relegation. The prosecutor alleged the Levante players were paid to deliberately lose the game.

The former Mexico and Atlético Madrid manager has long denied any involvement in match-fixing and has refused to elaborate on his role while Japan were competing in the Asian Cup in Australia.

Japan won the Asian Cup four years ago but suffered a shock loss on penalties to United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals last month. Australia went on to win the title, beating South Korea in the final.