Recalled how 60 year-old Ronnie Brunswijk, the Vice President of Suriname, picked himself to play for the club he owns, captaining the team on Tuesday.
He played 54 minutes for Inter Moengatapoe in a CONCACAF Champions League match against Honduran side Olimpia. He started in attack alongside his son Damian Brunswijk, who played for 29 minutes before being replaced.
Also, the stadium the match was held bears his name.
A New York Times profile described him as “an elite paratrooper, a soccer player, a wanted bank robber, a guerrilla leader, a gold baron and a father to at least 50 children during his lifetime.”
Brunswijk is also known for being a generous man, handing out money to the poor, and he continued that reputation in the changing room after the game.
However, CONCACAF has perceived his act of ‘generosity’ as a punishable offense as he has been disqualified from participating in any related activities for three years after a viral video showed him allegedly passing out money to players of an opposition team.
In a statement released on Saturday, CONCACAF stated: “Having assessed the actions evidenced in the video and considered written statements provided by both clubs, the Committee has determined that serious breaches of integrity rules occurred after the match.
“As a consequence of these rule breaches, both clubs have been disqualified and removed from this year’s CONCACAF League with immediate effect. Additionally, the Committee has ruled that Mr Ronnie Brunswijk is banned for three years from participating in any capacity in CONCACAF competitions.”
MOLATsportgist 