The affair appears, at first glance, implausible. Not that much, when we detail the CV of its central character. The current vice-president of Suriname, Ronnie Brunswijk, 60, was banned, Saturday, September 25, for three years by the Football Confederation of North America, Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), after having been seen distributing money to opponents of the football team he owns and plays!
The facts took place Tuesday, September 21, during the League match, – an official competition of Concacaf, – between the Suriname club, Inter Moengo Tapoe, of which he therefore owns, and the Honduran club of Olimpia.
“After evaluating the actions highlighted in a video, which circulated on social media after the Concacaf Inter Moengo Tapoe League match against CD Olimpia, and examining the written statements provided by both clubs, the Commission de discipline has determined that serious breaches of integrity rules have occurred ”, Concacaf explained in its press release.
“As a result of these rule violations, it was decided that Mr. Ronnie Brunswijk is banned for three years from any participation, in any capacity, in Concacaf competitions”, the statement continued. “The two clubs have also been disqualified and excluded from the current edition of the competition, with immediate effect”, also decided the instance.
Former guerrilla
Concacaf announced on Wednesday that it had opened an investigation, the day after Ronnie Brunswijk’s participation in this match. The video, which allowed Concacaf to give substance to suspicions of corruption, showed Mr. Brunswijk distributing money to Olimpia players in their locker room, in an atmosphere of jubilation, after the round of 16 first leg of the Concacaf League, largely won by the Honduran team (6-0).
Video was streamed tonight from Olimpia’s locker room that appears to show Ronnie Brunswijk giving people in the lo… https://t.co/doel2bK7h1
Previously, this former guerrilla had designated himself as the holder – and captain – of his team, and had played for 54 minutes, in attack, alongside his son Damian Brunswijk.
Concacaf assured “Continue to investigate this matter, as well as the other persons involved, and reserves the right to submit any additional evidence to its disciplinary committee” which may lead to other possible sanctions. The second leg of this round of 16 was scheduled for Wednesday, September 29.
Convicted of drug trafficking
Former army sergeant, Ronnie Brunswijk had taken up arms becoming a rebel leader against dictator Desi Bouterse in the 1980s. A wealthy businessman, he was sentenced for drug trafficking in absentia to eight years in prison in 1999. by Dutch justice (of which Suriname is a former colony), and at ten years by French justice, but Suriname does not extradite its nationals.
Elected as an MP in 2005, he had recently allied with his country’s former justice minister, Chandrikapersad Santokhi, head of the main opposition political organization.
Mr Santokhi was elected president by acclamation in July 2020, and Brunswijk, vice-president by Parliament for a five-year term at the head of this country of some 600,000 inhabitants, bordering French Guiana, a gold exporter and oil.