Brittney Griner has been going to Russia to play basketball for the past seven years. This is a common practice among WNBA players, who can earn up to four or five times more money overseas than in the United States.
Griner played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia during the offseason. She has shined a positive light on women’s basketball and is a very loved individual in Russia.
Sadly, the Russian court has not shown Griner the love the citizens do nor the love she has earned within these seven years.
The WNBA star has served approximately two months of her 9-year sentence in a Russian prison. Since Griner’s sentence, not much about her status or the progress of getting her back home has been made public.
In an interview with Gayle King, Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle, explains that Brittney is terrified for her life. She says Griner is at her weakest moment of life. This is Cherelle’s first interview since Griner’s conviction.
This explains why the media hasn’t shared much information on Griner’s status.
Case Recap
Griner has been detained since February 17, after Russian officials found vape cartilages containing cannabis oils in her luggage. Interrogated without a lawyer in a foreign country, the WNBA star was arrested and forced to sign unknown papers.
In August, Griner was found guilty and convicted of drug charges. Griner gave the court a letter explaining cannabis use for medical reasons related to sports injuries. The oils were prescribed and inadvertently packed; however, the Russian court showed no sympathy and still found her guilty.
Her punishment for barely even a gram (0.7g) of medical marijuana, simply residue, leaves the public furious. Cherelle Griner believes the case should not be seen as unjust or unlawful but instead as a hostage situation.
Due to the current relationship between Russia and the United States, Griner is receiving a negative backlash. She is being charged as a drug trafficker, receiving time and punishment that does not fit her crime.
Potential Prisoner Swap Option
Throughout Griner’s case, a prisoner swap was discussed as a possible solution to keeping Griner home safe. However, the swap is pending the cooperation of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
The prisoner swap terms included Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained in Russia since 2018.
Griner and Whelan would be swapped for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, serving a 25-year sentence in America. Many agree that Bout’s crimes are ten times worse than American citizens detained in Russia, but it is one of the only options.
Griner’s Verdict
Due to the lack of progress with the prisoner swap option, Griner feels she has been forgotten. After recent phone conversations, Cherelle says that Brittney is broken. Griner cried for two minutes on the phone with her wife.
She also made statements such as, “Does my life still matter? Do people still care?”
Griner has an appeal hearing on October 25, where her legal team will work to persuade the court to change the decision of her 9-year sentence. Depending on the outcome of the hearing, she could be moved to a labor camp for the remainder of her sentence.
