Russian authorities will continue to detain WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner for at least another two months.
Russian state news agency TASS reported that a Moscow court granted a petition to extend Griner's detention to May 19, as an investigation into the drug charges against her proceeds.
The basketball superstar has remained in custody since last month when a drug-sensing dog alerted its handler to Griner's luggage as she made her way through security at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
According to officials, a search of her luggage found vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis.
The charges against Griner carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Watch Enes Kanter Freedom share his thought about Griner's dire situation:
ESPN further reports:
The 31-year-old Griner, one of the most recognizable players in women's basketball, has won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star.
Griner has played in Russia for the last seven years in the winter, earning over $1 million per season — more than quadruple her WNBA salary. She last played for her Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg on Jan. 29 before the league took a two-week break in early February for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments. She was arrested in Moscow upon returning to Russia.
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It's unclear how much progress was being made in the case because Griner's group has been trying to work quietly for her release and declining to talk publicly since her arrest was made public earlier this month.
“Everyone's getting the strategy of say less and push more privately behind the scenes,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said. “It's the strategy you get from the State Department and administration. It's our No. 1 priority in talking with her agent and strategists.”
Dozens of WNBA players played in Russia or Ukraine during the off-season. All but Griner have returned to the United States.
Do you believed Brittney is being made an example of by the Russian government, as Enes Kanter Freedom said above? As always, share your thoughts with us below.
If she actually had cannabis oil in her luggage, she was arrested fairly. It’s everyone’s responsibility to understand the laws of the country they’re in, and follow them. How popular she is, or how much money she makes a year, is immaterial. If she did the crime, she should do the time. A Russian prison is probably not anyones first choice of accommodations but it’s a little late to make that decision.
Exactly, she knew what she doing. Maybe she timing was bad and she’ll be detanged
Good. A person people look up to enters a foreign country with drugs. How stupid can you get. She thought she could do it because she was a super star. She deserves what she gets. Keep this poor roll model.
Griner is like so many in modern society blessed with incalculable physical attributes that allowed her to excel at a popular child’s game that society is willing to spend money on, the WNBA not so much as the NBA. Then she, like so many of these miraculously blessed spoiled brats totally abdicate any inclination to behave in a responsible manner displaying the lack of even a modicum of gratitude for the gifts that they received. Griner lives in a way that is an abomination to her creator with total disregard for the rules of society thumbing her nose at the requirements imposed on “normal” people that she considers herself to be so far above. She manifests these behaviors at her own risk. Throw the book at her Russia!
She is not the victim. She smuggled in marijuana vape cartridges. That is against the law in Russia, as it is in almost every country. This isn’t a black issue, a gay issue, maybe a little American citizen bias, but she still broke the law. I’m sure if I, being a senior aged white male did the same thing, I would be detained as well. I just wouldn’t have the media whining about my confinement and being a victim everyday in the news.
Exactly, she knew what she doing. Maybe her timing was bad and she’ll be held as she should be. Girl was dumb and made a huge Mistake. Good thing is She found out she ain’t special
Her elitist attitude got her just what she deserves, time in jail. How stupid can you be to try and sneak an illegal substance into a foreign country. Put her away for the ten years and send a message to the rest of them that Russia is not our friend.
This has NOTHING! to do with whether Russia is our friend or not!! She did something stupid AND illegal and got caught!!! Stupid choices bring stupid RESULTS!!!! Get it?
Good.
Representing us with that?
Enjoy the accommodations
I have to agree with some of the comments made already. I feel sorry for her, because she was stupid enough to think that just because she was an American Citizen and celebrity, that she doesn’t have to respect other countries laws. She is getting what she deserves. You go to another country and break the law you go to jail simple as that.
7 years into it, you’d think she’d know better. Perhaps, she should have watched Midnight Express: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077928/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Any country has the right to do this when illegal contraband is found; they can and will treat you like a dealer.
Nope, that is a crime in Russia therefore she pays the price