4 suspended players return to Mexico roster

Published Jan. 19, 2012 8:58 p.m. ET

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Four players suspended for violating training rules are returning to Mexico's national team for an exhibition game against Venezuela in Houston on Jan. 25.

Coach Jose Manuel De la Torre said on Thursday the four returning players were defender Israel Jimenez, forward Marco De la Mora, and midfielders Javier Cortes and Nestor Calderon.

The four - and four others - were given six-month suspensions in June after they were reported having female guests in their rooms during a training camp in Ecuador.

All the players are with Mexican clubs. Europe-based players will not participate in the match, which is not on a FIFA fixture date.

''We have spoken about the topic of discipline with the players,'' De la Torre said. ''They have to know what it means to represent your country.''

De la Torre acknowledged several of the returning players had not been playing well.

''We are looking to give them some confidence by returning them to the team,'' he added.

A similar incident took place in September 2010 when two players - Carlos Vela and Efrain Juarez - were suspended for six months following a party after an exhibition against Colombia in Monterrey, Mexico. Eleven other players were fined.

The incident involved a late-night party with unidentified women.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul), Alfedo Talavera (Toluca)

Defenders: Nestor Araujo (Cruz Azul), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Edgar Duenas (Toluca), Israel Jimenez (Tigres), Hiram Mier (Monterrey), Carlos Salcido (Tigres), Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres)

Midfielders: Javier Aquino (Cruz Azul), Nestor Calderon (Toluca), Israel Castro (Cruz Azul), Javier Cortes (Pumas), Jesus Molina (America), Javier Efrain Velarde (Pumas), Jesus Zavala (Monterrey

Forwards: Edgar Andrade (Jaguares), Marco De la Mora (Chivas), Rafael Marquez Lugo (Morelia), Oribe Peralta (Santos Laguna)