Włodzimierz Trams

Poland’s Włodzimierz Trams was a talented basketball player who first began playing the sport when he was 13-years-old. From 1962 to 1971 Trams represented Legia Warszawa, winning three Polish championships (1963, 1966, 1969) and two Polish Cups (1968, 1970). During this time he also played in 118 matches for the Polish national team from 1966 to 1970. At the 1967 European Championships he was part of the team that won the bronze medal, before finishing fourth at the 1969 championships. Between the two tournaments he competed at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, where he scored 100 points.

In 1971 Trams had a spectacular fall from grace when he was caught smuggling gold in a trip from Italy. He was one of several sportspeople who brought valuables into Poland to sell to make extra money. He was sentenced to five years in jail along with a lifelong ban handed down by the Polish Basketball Association. Trams was released from prison in 1974, after serving 41 months, with his ban from playing being lifted. He then played for several Polish basketball teams from 1975 until his retirement in 1980.