Soccer-Peru slash bans on Farfan and Pizarro

LIMA, July 4 (Reuters) - Peru have slashed 18-month international bans on forwards Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan and defender Santiago Acasiete, freeing the trio to play for their country almost immediately.

However, a fourth player, striker Andres Mendoza, will have to serve his full ban, the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) said in a statement.

The FPF said its disciplinary commission had reduced the bans on Pizarro, Farfan and Acasiete to three months, back-dated to start on April 7.

The players, who were suspended over alleged incidents at the team hotel in Lima after a World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November, have also been fined $10,000 each, with the money to be donated to a children's hospital.

The federation admitted at the time that its decision was based on evidence from a television presenter and hotel employees.

The return of Farfan, who recently joined Germany's Schalke 04 from PSV Eindhoven, and Chelsea striker Pizarro, would be a boost for Peru, who are bottom of the South American World Cup qualifying group with just three points from six games.

Peru gave a shambolic performance in their last outing as they were thrashed 6-0 by Uruguay in June, having also lost 4-0 to Mexico in a friendly 10 days before that.

Peruvian football has been plagued by in-fighting among the directors for years and the country has not qualified for a World Cup since 1982.

The players are often accused of indiscipline but in turn complain of harrassment by the country's tabloid newspapers and television stations.

(Writing by Brian Homewood in Buenos Aires; Editing by Padraic Halpin)