Ekaterina Maklichenko, representing former Russian national team footballer Alexei Bugaev, asserts that her client is not guilty in the drug trafficking case. The lawyer conveyed her position to Sports Express, emphasizing that the allegations lack merit and rest on mistaken inference rather than solid evidence.
Maklichenko explained that Bugaev did not even see the package of drugs. According to her account, he was instructed to place it in the front pocket of his sweatpants and, when called upon by a witness, to claim ownership and imply he planned to sell it somewhere. He followed the instructions given to him, and she notes that intimidation before the events likely affected his ability to respond clearly and demonstrate his true attitude toward what was happening.
On November 1, the Shot Telegram channel reported that Bugaev had been detained with 500 grams of mephedrone. A criminal case was opened against the football player, charging him with large-scale drug trafficking. He faces a potential prison term of up to 20 years. Bugaev is also alleged to have worked as a drug courier and to have placed bookmarks near Kuban Agricultural University, claims reported by the media.
During his professional career, Alexei Bugaev played for Lokomotiv, Krasnodar, Tom, Khimki and Torpedo. He represented the Russian national team in seven matches and did not score. He retired from football in 2010 at the age of 29, choosing to pursue other opportunities beyond the sport.
Earlier reports indicated that the court had imposed a preventive measure against Bugaev, the former Russian national team player, as the legal process continued.