Ronnie Stam maintains his innocence
Ex-Premier League defender Ronnie Stam, who memorably clinched the FA Cup with Wigan Athletic in 2013, is staring down the barrel of some serious prison time.
He and his brother Rudi stand accused of smuggling £48 million’s worth of cocaine from South America to their home country of the Netherlands.
The Stams, who are on trial in Breda, could be fined up to £1.5m after allegedly trafficking two tonnes of drugs too, although their potential jail sentences differ.
Ronnie faces 13 years behind bars, but Rudi would serve six.
A prosecutor told a hearing last September: “This case concerns hundreds of kilos of cocaine each time. I contend that Stam was a major player in the drugs world.”
Local broadcaster Omroepbrabant reports that when Stam first heard of the 13-year sentence being called for, he suggested it was all down to his notoriety.
“My children had to cry about it. The youngest thinks he will never see me again and the oldest thinks I will miss his entire football career,” he said.
“More than for the biggest drug criminals. And that is only because this is a media case, because I was good at football.”
Stam also told the judge: “I am not a major player in the drug world.”
The trial verdict is expected to be revealed in August.
After winning the Eredivisie title with his team FC Twente (under former England national team manager Steve McClaren), Stam was signed by Wigan for a fee of £2m in 2010.
He proceeded to play 62 times in the Premier League before leaving for Belgian side Standard Liege.
Stam retired from the sport in 2016 at just 32 years old.
