The Spartak star was detained in Dubai. At home, the Dutchman faces prison for smuggling a ton of cocaine

Spartak Moscow striker Quincy Promes, convicted in absentia in Amsterdam for drug trafficking, was detained at Dubai Al Maktoum Airport. The athlete tried to fly to St. Petersburg.

As it became known, the legionnaire has been at the police station for several hours. In the UAE, Promes was at the Spartak training camp. On Thursday, February 29, the team was supposed to fly to St. Petersburg, but everyone was allowed on board except the striker. According to some reports, the team’s security staff remained with him. The reason for the detention has not yet been specified.

Promes was sentenced to prison and put on the international wanted list

On February 14, an Amsterdam court found the Spartak Moscow forward guilty of drug smuggling. At the same time, the Dutch prosecutor’s office requested nine years in prison for the player.

In 2020, in the port of Belgian Antwerp, police intercepted two shipments of narcotic substances with a total weight of about 1,370 kilograms, which, according to investigators, belonged to Promes. In addition, the attacker was allegedly associated with drug dealer Pete Wortel. According to the prosecutor’s office, Promes and Wortel were part of a large criminal network, and Promes was one of the leaders of the group. The player himself does not admit guilt.

The press secretary of the Amsterdam prosecutor’s office, Franklin Wattimena, said that Quincy Promes was put on the international wanted list. He said that the Dutch authorities were trying to bring the player home, but “this has not yet led to his extradition.”

Among other things, in June 2023, the court sentenced Promes in absentia to 18 months in prison. Then he was found guilty of involvement in an armed attack and stabbing his cousin.

The State Duma called on Spartak not to abandon the player

As stated by Dmitry Svishchev, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture and Sports, Spartak should not abandon Promes, who is on the international wanted list. According to him, a difficult situation has arisen for the athlete, including from a psychological point of view. “But I have been saying for a long time that Spartak cannot abandon this story and must resolve it. It was necessary to communicate with the prosecutor’s office and carry out judicial procedures,” the parliamentarian said.

Russia assessed the likelihood of extradition of a convicted football player

As Mash’s source in the Russian Premier League (RPL) indicated, Promes, who was sentenced to prison in the Netherlands, will not be extradited to his homeland. The reason cited is the fact that Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the Netherlands.

In addition, it was noted that the football player will be able to play for Spartak, even if his appeal against the verdict is not satisfied. The RPL prohibits the registration of players with an outstanding criminal record for the season, but this only applies to sentences passed in Russia.