by Gary Miller
Over the weekend, news broke out about WNBA star Brittney Griner’s arrest in Russia. According to the Russian Federal Customs Service, officials found vaping cartridges containing cannabis oil in Griner’s luggage at an airport near Moscow. In Russia, Griner’s alleged crimes can result in up to 10 years of prison time.
Griner, like many of her fellow WNBA players, spends the off-season playing in Russia. As tensions began to rise between Russia and Ukraine, many American athletes were able to exit the country. Unfortunately, Griner was not so lucky.
Recently released footage of Griner’s run-in with Russian Customs Agents shows the incident occurred sometime in late February. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine happening during the same period, Griner seems to simply have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, recently released a statement indicating the legal work is underway to bring the star back to the U.S. In the meantime, Cola notes, “We [the agency] are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the federal government was available to help Griner as needed. “There’s only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point. Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia.”
With a massive geopolitical conflict as its setting, Griner and her legal team are in for an uphill battle to secure the basketball star’s freedom. Make sure you follow Veriheal to get the latest updates on Griner’s ongoing case.
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