Promes was arrested
According to a Dutch publication, football player Quincy Promes, who was detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was taken into custody from house arrest. De Telegraaf reported that the local authorities held Promes in Dubai at the request of the Dutch prosecutor’s office, which sought his extradition to serve a prison sentence.
The Spartak Moscow forward had just completed a strong winter training period before the league resumed. Guillermo Abascal, Spartak’s top scorer, operated as a left winger during those sessions and contributed heavily in friendlies. Meanwhile, the cocaine-smuggling case being heard in Amsterdam was nearing its conclusion.
On February 14, an Amsterdam court handed Promes a six-year prison sentence. The hearing took place on January 24, when prosecutors asked for a nine-year term. On February 16, Promes was placed on a wanted list, yet Dubai authorities did not impose sanctions despite a 2021 extradition framework between the UAE and the Netherlands. The clash between the teams and the case did not yield an immediate return to Russia for Promes with the squad.
Shortly after, on February 29, at Dubai airport, Promes was detained by border guards while preparing to depart. Some sports outlets linked this to the Dutch case, but the arrest related to Promes allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in which he was involved during Spartak’s mid-February training camp. The sanction for that incident was a fine and house arrest rather than a prison penalty.
With the accident case dismissed, Promes appeared to be back in the social spotlight. A video surfaced showing him with a new partner in a Dubai nightclub, and on March 7 he released a track titled “100 Stones” in which he reflected on life beyond the football pitch. One line that resonated with many fans read: a judge had given him nine years, but he would not shed a tear over what he viewed as unfounded accusations since he chooses to live without fear.
In the Netherlands, Promes has two separate judgments to his name: the six-year sentence for cocaine trafficking and an additional year and a half for an off-field incident involving his cousin with a knife in 2020.
“Return process is difficult”
De Telegraaf crime reporter Jon van den Heeven discussed the behind-the-scenes efforts to determine Promes’ future. He suggested that Dutch authorities were quietly coordinating with UAE law enforcement to address extradition possibilities, avoiding public friction with Dubai. The underlying idea is that extradition can be pursued when a person is suspected or convicted of a serious crime, and the timeline for Promes’ return remains unclear. The situation is unfolding slowly, according to sources close to the case.
Response from the Dutch prosecutor’s office to a query from Sports Express indicated that it was premature to discuss timing. The official statement noted that extradition would be pursued when appropriate and that the process would begin once decisions were made.
Without Promes, Spartak won’t score
In the current calendar year, Spartak has managed two official matches in the Russian Premier League (RPL). On March 2 in St. Petersburg, the team led by Guillermo Abascal played to a goalless draw with Zenit, and on March 10 they were defeated by Spartak Voronezh Fakel in Luzhniki with a 0-2 scoreline.
After two spring rounds, Spartak sits in sixth place with 31 points. Zenit leads the table by nine points, while the gap to Dynamo Moscow and the top three sits at seven points. Midfielder Anton Zinkovsky stepped in for Promes during those matches, but the team as a whole failed to register points. The capital club now faces a rematch in the Russian Cup and RPL Road 1/4 final against Orenburg on March 14 at the Lukoil Arena. To advance to the next stage, Spartak must overturn the one-goal deficit from the first leg in Orenburg.
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