Dmitry Selyuk, a well-known figure in football management circles, urged a fundamental shift in how domestic football rules are written in Russia. He argued that the league should include a clear prohibition on players who are under criminal investigation or have been convicted from taking part in matches. In his view, such a clause would strengthen the integrity of the national championship from the outset and align Russia with broader European standards, some of which already restrict participation during ongoing investigations. He suggested that the Russian Football Union should embed this principle into its regulations and that UEFA could consider adopting a similar rule at the continental level.
Explaining his stance, Selyuk pointed to the concerns of Spartak Moscow’s vast supporter base, which includes families and many young fans. He emphasized that allowing players facing serious criminal allegations to remain eligible could send the wrong message to impressionable fans and may be perceived as tolerating misconduct. He drew a contrast between what he described as a climate of celebration around players accused or convicted of crimes and the expectation that football should uphold higher standards of conduct both on and off the pitch.
In a separate but related development, an Amsterdam court handed down a prison sentence on February 14, citing cocaine trafficking. The case against the Dutch striker involved extensive proceedings that concluded with a six-year term. The court had previously heard that the prosecutor had requested a nine-year sentence. At the time of sentencing, the player was continuing with Spartak Moscow’s training camp abroad, in the United Arab Emirates, where preparations for the upcoming season are underway.
The player in question has been with Spartak Moscow since February 2021, marking a second spell with the club after an earlier stint from 2014 to 2018. In the 2016/17 season, the Dutch forward helped Spartak secure the Russian championship, a highlight in a career that has straddled Dutch and Russian football across multiple seasons. His move back to Spartak in 2021 was seen as a major signing for the team in its pursuit of domestic titles and continued success in European competitions.
Apart from the central figure in the trafficking case, Russian football has seen other players with international backgrounds connected to ongoing legal matters. One is a Dutch-born midfielder who joined Ural and is facing legal issues in his homeland. Another is a player who recently transferred to Orenburg and is facing scrutiny tied to criminal investigations. These cases have prompted discussions among league officials and club executives about how to handle players who are implicated in criminal activity, especially when their teams are counting on them for crucial matches and long-term success.
Questions have also been raised about the proper course of action should extradition be pursued in the Promes case. Observers have debated whether extradition from the United Arab Emirates to the Netherlands would be feasible and what implications such a process would have for his status with Spartak Moscow and for Russian football more generally. The discussions reflect broader concerns about how international legal matters intersect with professional sports careers and league governance, particularly in high-profile cases that attract considerable public and media attention.