Father of 50, wanted man, political heavyweight, football debutante

PARAMARIBO. – It is a tiny enclave, on the north eastern tip of South America, whose descendants have provided the world with some of its greatest footballers.

Most of them have starred in the orange colours of the Dutch — Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Patrick Kluivert, Aron Winter and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Even Liverpool centreback, Vigil van Dijk and Paris Saint Germain midfielder, Georgino Wijnaldum, both trace their descendants from Suriname.

It’s a very small nation, with a population of about 575 000 people, who live on its shores, with many of its descendants, about 350 000 people, either living in the Netherlands, or having secured Dutch citizenship.

Until this week, the football headlines, around the globe, which it generated, were largely confined to its rich supply of stars who have starred for the Dutch.

On Tuesday, everything changed when the country’s 60-year-old Vice President, Ronnie Brunswijk, played his way into the global headlines, after featuring for his club, in a CONCACAF match, against Olimpia.

And, yesterday, the world media continued to feast on this extraordinary story with the spotlight on Brunswijk.

◆ He is a father of 50 children.

◆ He is the owner of Inter Moengotapoe, a football club which plays home games in a stadium he has named, after himself.

◆ He is a former rebel leader, and army sergeant during the overthrowing of the Surinamese government, in a 1980 military coup. ◆ He is a wealthy businessman and politician, having helped current President, Chan Santokhi, assume power after the two had previously hunted each other, on opposite sides of the civil war.

◆ He is a former bank robber, and gold baron,

according to The New York Times.

◆ He is referred to, in some parts of the country, as a Robin Hood-like figure, for giving generously to his poor supporters, including stories of him throwing money down from a helicopter floating above a crowd of supporters.

◆ He is unable to leave the country because he is wanted by Interpol after being found guilty, in absentia, of drug trafficking and was sentenced to eight years in prison by a court in the Netherlands, Suriname’s former colonial ruler.

◆ He has also been sentenced to serve a 10-year sentence in France after being found guilty of the same charges.

His dramatic life is back in the headlines after a viral video emerged of him, selecting to play 54 minutes, during his team’s major international game against Honduran team CD Olimpia.

He now holds the record, for being the oldest player to ever feature in an international match at CONCACAF level, but this has now triggered an investigation by the governing body.

His team lost 0-6 and, after the match, he entered the away dressing room, to hand out US$100 notes, to the triumphant opposition. Here are a few more facts to note about Brunswijk’s big appearance:

◆ He named himself captain.

◆ He had purchased the team when his son,

Damian, joined the team.

◆ The father-son combo played 29 minutes

together.

◆ He had no previous professional football

experience.

◆ He is unable to play the second leg in Honduras because he is a wanted man and Honduras has an extradition treaty with France and the Netherlands.

◆ He wore the No. 61 jersey to celebrate the

year he was born.

◆ He entered the Olimpia dressing room after the game and handed out $100 notes to the players of the team that had just thrashed his own.— www.news.co.au/AFP.