Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia after the Russian Federal Customs Service claimed it found hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow, as reported by The New York Times and Russian News agency TASS.
The customs service didn’t release a name or specify the date of detainment in its statement, as officials only said they detained an American basketball player who had won two gold medals with the U.S. team. TASS later identified the player as Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star who won gold medals in 2016 and 2021.
Original news of Griner’s detainment came amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to many WNBA players leaving those countries.
Here are the latest details on the evolving situation.
Why was Brittney Griner detained in Russia?
Griner, who has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League during the WNBA offseason, was detained after customs service officials said they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport. The customs service also released a video of an individual at the airport who appears to be Griner going through security.
Russian state TV showed a photo of Griner as part of a segment that aired on March 5. The photo was reportedly taken at a Russian police station.
Russian state TV has released a photo of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested on drug charges in the country after Russian officials say cannabis oil was found in her luggage. CNN’s @RosaFlores has the story. pic.twitter.com/SzB9MSSQfY
— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2022
A criminal case was opened into the “large-scale transportation of drugs, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars in Russia,” according to The New York Times.
What did the WNBA and Phoenix Mercury say about Brittney Griner’s detainment?
The WNBA announced on May 3 that it will feature Griner’s initials and jersey number (No. 42) on the sideline of all WNBA courts this season. The league also granted the Mercury roster and salary cap relief so they can carry a replacement player. Griner will continue to be paid her full salary.
“As we begin the 2022 season, we are keeping Brittney at the forefront of what we do through the game of basketball and in the community,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “We continue to work on bringing Brittney home and are appreciative of the support the community has shown BG and her family during this extraordinarily challenging time.”
The WNBA’s announcement on May 3 is the latest in a series of public statements released since the original reporting of her detainment earlier this spring.
WNBA statement (March 5)
“Brittney Griner has the WNBA’s full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States.”
Phoenix Mercury statement (March 5)
“We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and NBA. We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.”
WNBPA statement (March 5)
“We are aware of the situation in Russia concerning one of our members, Brittney Griner. Our utmost concern is BG’s safety and well-being. On behalf of The 144, we send our love and support. We will continue to closely monitor and look forward to her return to the U.S.”
USA Basketball statement (March 5)
“USA Basketball is aware of and closely monitoring the legal situation facing Brittney Griner in Russia. Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and well-being are our primary concerns.”
Are there any other WNBA players in Russia?
A league spokesperson told The New York Times on March 5 that all WNBA players other than Griner were out of Russia and Ukraine.
Why do WNBA players compete in Russia?
Many WNBA players, including the league’s biggest stars, have gone overseas during the offseason because international leagues offer much higher salaries than the WNBA.
Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, who has also played for UMMC Ekaterinburg, earns approximately $1.5 million per season overseas compared to a WNBA supermax salary of $228,094. After signing a one-year deal with the Storm, Stewart expressed her concerns about recent changes to the collective bargaining agreement that push players to prioritize the WNBA over other leagues.
“Prioritization is, like, the biggest topic of conversation in the WNBA for me, especially in the next couple of years,” Stewart said in February. “To be able to play overseas at UMMC Ekaterinburg, where basketball is very valued, we’re treated really well and able to make a lot of money, it’s just hard for me. With the prioritization, you’re cutting off one of my sources of income and not substituting it.
“That’s something that needs to be kind of figured out. I don’t have a great answer for what’s going to happen. But I think it’s going to affect a lot more players in the WNBA than people think right now.”
When will Brittney Griner be released?
A judge in Russia convicted Griner of drug possession and smuggling on Aug. 4 and sentenced her to nine years in prison, bringing an end to her trial. Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Griner to nine-and-a-half years in prison, according to The Associated Press.
Legal experts viewed a verdict as a formality because the length of her detainment will ultimately be determined by negotiations on a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia.
President Joe Biden issued the following statement on the verdict:
Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible.
During a July 27 press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed that the Biden administration, which considers Griner to be wrongfully detained, “put a substantial proposal on the table” in order to facilitate the release of Griner and Whelan, a former Marine who has been held in Russia for three-and-a-half years.
“Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal,” Blinken said, adding that he plans to follow up with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
JUST IN: Sec. of State Antony Blinken says U.S. “put a substantial proposal on the table” to facilitate release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner from Russia. https://t.co/hi29tu0lxM pic.twitter.com/o38OuvHVTC
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 27, 2022
CNN reported that the Biden administration offered to exchange Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer serving a 25-year prison sentence, for Griner and Whelan.
Blinken’s comments came on the same day that Griner testified at her trial. She claimed that an interpreter only translated a fraction of what was said while she was being detained at the airport. She also said that she didn’t receive an explanation of her rights or access to a lawyer after she was initially detained.
“Nothing was ever explained to me thoroughly at all,” Griner said, per The Associated Press. “There was a lot of short words — ‘sign here’ — and at that point, I felt like being held against my will so that’s why I contacted my family and my agent and asked for legal representation.”
Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges during a July 7 hearing in a Russian court, according to Reuters. She told the court she did not intend to commit a crime. Griner said she had packed in a hurry, according to CNN, which cited reporting from Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
“I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner said, per Reuters.
ESPN reported that Griner admitted guilt as part of her legal team’s strategy because she hopes to travel back to the U.S. in a prisoner swap.
A Russian court set Oct. 25 as the date for Griner’s appeal hearing. Her appeal has been rejected and “attention now turns to whether Russia will engage in negotiations more seriously after US midterms,” tweets ESPN’s T.J. Quinn.
