The story of Brittney Griner, a professional American basketball player, is a complex and intriguing one, involving detention in Russia, incarceration, and a prisoner swap with a Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 for marijuana possession, and was subsequently sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony.

The arrest and detention of Brittney Griner had significant political implications, as it occurred during a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Russia.

The US government considered Brittney Griner to be wrongfully detained by Russia, and worked tirelessly to secure her release.

The Biden administration offered to trade Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who was serving a 25-year sentence in the US.

Viktor Bout was nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" due to his involvement in arms dealing, and his release was a top priority for the Russian government.

The prisoner swap between Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout was facilitated by the UAE, and was seen as a positive development in Russian-American relations.

Brittney Griner's experiences in the Russian penitentiary system were traumatic, with reports of inhumane conditions, labor camps, and limited access to medical care.

Despite the challenges she faced, Brittney Griner maintained her strength and resilience, and was eventually released from prison in December 2022.

The American government's efforts to free Brittney Griner were led by President Joe Biden, who signed off on the prisoner swap and kept in touch with Brittney throughout her detention.

The US government also worked with Brittney's wife, Cherelle, and other advocacy groups to raise awareness about her case and push for her release.

After her release, Brittney Griner returned to the US and was reunited with her family, and has since been adjusting to life back at home.

Brittney Griner has spoken publicly about her experiences in Russia, and has expressed gratitude to the Biden administration and others who worked to secure her release.

She has also stated that she does not intend to play basketball outside of the US again, and is focused on her recovery and adjustment to life back at home.

Brittney Griner's story has highlighted the importance of researching foreign laws and regulations, particularly for athletes and travelers who may be unaware of the risks and consequences of certain actions.

The case has also raised questions about the use of prisoner swaps as a diplomatic tool, and the potential implications for international relations.

In terms of her basketball career, Brittney Griner is a highly accomplished player, with two Olympic gold medals, multiple WNBA championships, and a reputation as one of the best players in the world.

She has played for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, and has averaged 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game over the course of her career.

Brittney Griner's detention and release have also sparked conversations about the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in Russia, where there are concerns about discrimination and persecution.

Overall, the story of Brittney Griner is a complex and multifaceted one, involving themes of detention, incarceration, diplomacy, and resilience.

The case has highlighted the importance of international cooperation and diplomacy, as well as the need for awareness and education about foreign laws and regulations.

As Brittney Griner continues to adjust to life back at home, her story serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks faced by athletes and travelers who venture abroad, and the importance of support and advocacy in securing their safety and release.

The story of Brittney Griner, a professional American basketball player, is a complex and intriguing one, involving detention in Russia, incarceration, and a prisoner swap with a Russian arms dealer, Viktor Bout.

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Russia in talks with US about potential prisoner exchanges, says diplomat

"We proceed from the fact that the negotiations should take the interests of both sides into account," Ivan Nechayev stressed
Russian Foreign Ministry
© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/. Competent authorities in Russia and the United States are in talks to discuss potential prisoner swaps, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Spokesman Ivan Nechayev said at a briefing on Thursday.

"We have repeatedly commented on this. On August 5, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Russia is ready to discuss the issue, but only within the channel negotiated by Russian President [Vladimir Putin] and US President [Joe Biden]. Let me remind you that corresponding competent authorities have been instructed to negotiate the issue. Competent agencies are in talks," the Russian diplomat said.

He also recalled Moscow’s plea to Washington "not to speculate on the sensitive issue affecting specific individuals."

"We would recommend abandoning futile attempts to put pressure on us and we are calling on them to concentrate on practical work along the available channels. There is no other way," Nechayev concluded.

"We proceed from the fact that the negotiations should take the interests of both sides into account," the diplomat emphasized.

Earlier, Washington offered Moscow to exchange Russian businessman Viktor Bout, who is serving a prison term in the US for arms trafficking, for basketball player Brittney Griner, sentenced to jail for drugs trafficking, and Paul Whelan, convicted in Russia of spying. The exchange of prisoners was one of the topics discussed in a telephone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in late July. American media reported later, citing unidentified sources, that Russia had proposed to include another Russian prisoner jailed in the West in the prisoner swap.

Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia in February 2022 for marijuana possession, and was subsequently sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony.

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Inside Joe Biden’s Faustian pact with Russia to secure Brittney

Three weeks ago, the American basketball star Brittney Griner arrived at a Russian penal colony known for torture, beatings and slave labour to begin a nine-year sentence following her arrest at a Moscow airport in February for possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil.

But in a stunning twist on Thursday, Griner’s plight as an unwitting pawn in a high-stakes geopolitical struggle came to an abrupt end, as she arrived in Abu Dhabi from Moscow and boarded a plane home to reunite with her family. She landed in San Antonio, Texas, early Friday morning.

In exchange for Griner’s release, the US released Viktor Bout, a notorious arms trafficker who was serving a 25-year sentence for conspiring to kill US citizens and aiding a terrorist organisation.

The deal was met with jubilation from Griner’s family and supporters. But the controversial swap for Bout — as well as the exclusion of Paul Whelan, another US citizen imprisoned in Russia — also drew criticism and raised questions about how America’s adversaries might leverage arrests of its citizens in the future.

US officials began working toward Griner’s release as soon as she was apprehended in Russia in February, but the effort became more concentrated on prisoner swap negotiations once the State Department declared in May that she had been wrongfully detained.

In July, US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov spoke on the phone for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. During the call, Blinken pressed Lavrov to accept a “substantial proposal” from Washington to release Griner and the former marine Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018 on what the US and his family say are trumped-up espionage charges.

Americans had offered to free Bout, people familiar with the discussions said, but the Russians said they also wanted the release of Vadim Krasikov, a former colonel from Russia’s domestic spy agency who was convicted of murder in Germany last year.

In the ensuing months, officials said, Washington made a number of offers to Russia in an attempt to secure the release of Griner and Whelan.

However, Biden administration officials said that in recent weeks it became clear that Moscow would only accept a one-for-one swap. According to one senior administration official, “the choice was bringing Brittney Griner home right now or bringing no Americans home from Russia right now”.

Despite the Biden administration’s insistence that they had no choice but to exclude Whelan from the deal, Republican lawmakers and others denounced the decision, as well as facilitating the release of Bout, who is also known as “the merchant of death”.

“The Biden administration has allowed Viktor Bout, a dangerous arms dealer who was convicted of conspiring to kill American law enforcement, to walk free,” said Mike Rogers, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.

“This move to appease Vladimir Putin will only encourage further hostage taking by Russian security forces,” he added.

US officials described Biden’s choice as a painful one, adding that they would continue to work for Whelan’s release. Washington previously secured the release of Trevor Reed, another former marine, via a prisoner swap in April.

People familiar with Thursday’s prisoner exchange likened the episode to “a scene from the Cold War”, with Russian and American planes meeting on the tarmac at an airport in Abu Dhabi.

The Russian plane carrying Griner arrived first, one of the people said. American officials and people familiar with the events said the basketball star was upbeat on the tarmac, saying she was looking forward to returning home.

The Griner-Bout swap marks a rare instance in which the US and Russia have been able to find common ground since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, sending the west’s relationship with Moscow to its lowest ebb since the Cuban missile crisis.

According to people familiar with the matter, the Americans and Russians directly negotiated the details of the swaps, with UAE officials including president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan helping to facilitate the mechanics of the transfer.

It is not unusual for third countries to aid in brokering international diplomatic agreements such as prisoner swaps between hostile countries.

Sheikh Mohammed and Putin discussed the matter when they met in Russia in October, and they spoke on the phone on Wednesday, people familiar with the meetings said. Yousef al-Otaiba, UAE ambassador to the US, was present for the exchange on Thursday and had helped to co-ordinate details on the American side.

On Thursday, some pro-Kremlin commentators hailed the swap as a return to diplomacy. “Everyone sees through this exchange that Moscow and Washington are holding secret negotiations and can make a deal,” Sergei Markov, a political scientist and former member of Russia’s parliament, wrote on Telegram. “And everyone hopes that means Moscow and Washington can make a deal to end the war in Ukraine.”

However, analysts and US officials said that while the breakthrough was a sign that the two sides could get things done when their interests align, it was not evidence of any larger thaw in relations. Biden administration officials added that the recent conversations with Russia about Griner and other prisoners were limited to the release of wrongfully detained Americans.

“The exchange doesn’t do anything to change the situation for bilateral relations. There are lots of issues where they are in open confrontation,” said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

He said the otherwise dire state of relations between Russia and the west was thrown into sharp relief last week, when Moscow abruptly pulled out of talks on renewing the New Start treaty, the only remaining agreement governing the countries’ nuclear arsenals.

“This is a global stability issue: the last remainders of arms control are falling apart, which could lead to an arms race and a higher risk of dangerous incidents,” he said. “The trajectory we’re on is making that all the more likely.”

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The arrest and detention of Brittney Griner had significant political implications, as it occurred during a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Russia.

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Content: - The Washington Times - Friday, July 1, 2022

As pressure mounts on President Biden to take more aggressive action to get Moscow to release jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner, the international chatter increasing points to a prisoner swap for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Russian media and Bout’s lawyer, Steve Zissou, say Russian officials want to secure Bout’s release and that Griner, who has been locked up in Russia since February, could be part of a deal.

“I would be surprised if any American was repatriated without Viktor Bout also being sent home to his family,” Zissou told The Washington Times.

Bout is serving a 25-year sentence in federal prison. He was convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens, delivering anti-aircraft missiles, and providing aid to a terrorist organization, charges his lawyer disputes.

Another detained American, former Marine Paul Whelan, who was arrested in Russia on espionage charges in 2018, could also be part of a prisoner swap for Bout.

Mr. Zissou said the deal would likely have to include Bout. The lawyer met last month with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, who said that freeing Bout “was Russia’s number one priority,” according to Mr. Zissou.

Griner, meanwhile, made her first appearance in court on Friday and was accused of possessing “a significant amount of cannabis oil,” which is a banned substance in Russia. She faces likely conviction and a decade in prison when her trial resumes on July 7.

Griner, 31, was arrested at the airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 for allegedly carrying vape cartridges with hashish oil. She was visiting the country to play for a Russian basketball team after the conclusion of the WNBA season.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied Griner is being held as a political pawn, The Associated Press reported.

“The facts are that the famous athlete was detained in possession of prohibited medication containing narcotic substances,” Peskov told reporters on Friday. “In view of what I’ve said, it can’t be politically motivated.”

Still, Russia’s desire to free Bout complicates matters for Mr. Biden, who is weathering intense criticism for failing to secure the release of Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

Dozens of organizations, including women’s and LGBTQ groups, have pressed Mr. Biden to step up efforts to secure Griner’s release. They called on the president “to make a deal to get Brittney back home to America immediately and safely.”

While Bout’s lawyer disputes the charges against him, Bout was convicted of far more serious crimes than Griner’s drug charge, which could make it difficult for the Biden administration to agree to a swap.

Griner’s high-profile detainment comes at a historically difficult point in the diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Russia. Griner was arrested just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to invade Ukraine on February 24.

The U.S. has condemned the invasion and responded by providing Ukraine with weapons and other support to defend itself from Mr. Putin’s forces.

With Griner in detention, Russian officials are now intensifying efforts to secure the release of Bout, whose targeting and conviction by the United States has long been viewed as an attack on Russian sovereignty.

Russian media is reporting that a swap for Bout is on the table.

“Currently, talks are underway on exchanging Bout for Griner,” Tass news reported, citing an unnamed Russian source.

Nicknamed the “Merchant of Death,” Bout was convicted in 2011 in a U.S. government sting operation of planning to smuggle arms to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The witnesses hired to portray FARC told Bout the arms would be used to target U.S. military serving in Colombia.

Bout, 55, is about five years from completing his sentence and is in failing health, his lawyer said.

Mr. Zissou said he is trying to elevate the circumstances surrounding his client’s case to improve his appeal as a candidate for a prisoner swap.

The U.S. targeted Bout while he was living in Moscow and retired from running an air transport company that also smuggled arms from one country to another.

The U.S. government paid more than $10 million to criminals as part of the operation to catch Bout.

“Entrapment is exactly what happened,” Mr. Zissou said.

Mr. Zissou said exchanging Griner for Bout is “a no brainer,” because his client will be freed in a few years regardless.

Last week, Russian officials extended Griner’s pretrial detention by six months. With Russia’s acquittal rate in criminal cases at less than 1%, it’s unlikely she will be able to return to the U.S. without a prisoner exchange.

Pressure is also on Mr. Biden to also secure the release of Mr. Whelan, 52, who is serving a 16-year sentence in a Russian prison camp.

“It’s certainly conceivable that a swap for Whelan and Bout gets agreed to, and then at the end of Griner’s trial, if she’s convicted, she just gets pardoned and sent home,” Mr. Zissou said.

In a statement provided to The Times, the State Department declined to provide details about the talks to free Griner.

“We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” a State Department spokesman said. “The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. The U.S. government will continue to provide appropriate support to Griner and her family. We will continue to press for her release.”

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2022 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

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The US government considered Brittney Griner to be wrongfully detained by Russia, and worked tirelessly to secure her release.

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Russian court sentences Brittney Griner to 9 years, raising pressure on Biden

A Russian court Thursday sentenced U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in a penal colony after convicting her on a drug charge, a harsh penalty that keeps her fate entwined with the geopolitical showdown over the war in Ukraine and ramps up already intense pressure on President Joe Biden to win her release.

The U.S. government contends that she is among several Americans who have been “wrongfully detained” by Russia, used as bargaining chips in the increasingly hostile relationship between Moscow and Washington. The Biden administration has offered a prisoner swap involving Griner, but Russian officials said it was premature to discuss a deal while her case was underway.

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Now that the trial is concluded, Biden faces a difficult choice between standing firm on his proposal to trade for Griner and another American, Paul Whelan, or sweetening the offer somehow, with either position liable to draw domestic criticism.

Meanwhile the Kremlin can use them as leverage, with no incentive to resolve the cases quickly. Griner’s supporters, voicing horror at the verdict and sentence, are clamoring for the president to do something, while the administration is wary of giving in to Russian tactics it has all but labeled blackmail.

“My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible,” Biden said in a statement after the verdict.

Griner, 31, one of her sport’s biggest global stars, sat mostly expressionless, eyes downcast, leaning her long frame toward the bars of the defendant’s box in a cramped courtroom outside Moscow to hear as the words of the judge, Anna Sotnikova, were quietly translated for her. She had already pleaded guilty, and conviction is all but certain in Russian courts, so the verdict was a foregone conclusion; the real question was about sentencing.

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The answer was devastating. The sentence was near the 10-year maximum for her conviction for attempting to smuggle narcotics into the country, based on two vape cartridges containing hashish oil found in Griner’s luggage when she arrived in February, a week before President Vladimir Putin sent Russian forces to Ukraine.

She and her legal team had hoped for a more lenient penalty based on her guilty plea, her statement that she had not meant to take the cartridges to Russia, and testimony that she used the substance legally in the United States to manage pain.

“I made an honest mistake, and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here,” she said before the sentencing.

She told the court that while she took responsibility for her actions, “I had no intent to break Russian law.” She said that after recovering from a bout of COVID, she had packed hurriedly to rejoin the Russian team she plays for in the WNBA offseason, and had accidentally left the cartridges in her luggage.

Griner’s defense team called the ruling “absolutely unreasonable,” said the court had “completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the guilty plea,” and vowed to appeal. Elizabeth Rood, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, attended the court session and called the result “a miscarriage of justice.”

Russian officials have insisted that Griner’s case is simply the justice system running its course, with no political overtones — a claim that their U.S. counterparts and many Western analysts dismissed as absurd.

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William Pomeranz, a Russia expert and acting director of the Kennan Institute, a research group in Washington, noted that Griner was sentenced not to a prison but to a penal colony, which tends to mean a more remote location — many are in Siberia — and harsher conditions.

“She’s probably going to go to a penal colony that’s in the middle of Russia where she won’t know anybody,” he added. “They won’t be able to come and visit. Penal colonies can sometimes be very severe. It will be a tremendous test of her mental state if she ends up going to a penal colony.”

The United States has few options, he said. “It will just depend on the Russians and how fast they want to make a deal.”

Fellow basketball players, male and female, and basketball executives took to social media to voice support for Griner and grief at the verdict. Griner’s team, the Phoenix Mercury, said in a statement: “We remain heartbroken for her, as we have every day for nearly six months. We remain grateful to and confident in the public servants working every day to return her to her family and us.”

With Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the indiscriminate destruction it has caused, relations between Washington and Moscow are more confrontational and bitter than they have been in decades. The United States has rallied the West to send arms and other aid to Ukraine, and to punish Moscow with economic sanctions, looking for opportunities to ratchet up the pressure.

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The two sides have made prisoner exchanges before, most recently in April, when Russia released Trevor Reed, an American held on what his family said was a bogus assault charge, in return for a Russian pilot convicted in the United States of cocaine trafficking charges. But rarely have proposed swaps come amid such tension, or involved anyone as prominent as Griner.

In a sign of how high the stakes are for Washington, Griner’s fate was among the topics discussed last Friday by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, in their first direct conversation since before the invasion.

The Biden administration has offered to trade Griner and Whelan for Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence for a 2011 conviction on a federal charge of conspiring to sell weapons to people posing as terrorists intent on killing Americans. Whelan, detained in Russia since 2018, was convicted of espionage and sentenced to 16 years.

Russia made an unspecified “bad faith” counteroffer, the White House said Monday, which U.S. officials said they did not consider serious.

John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, told reporters Thursday, “I don’t think it would be helpful to Brittney or to Paul for us to talk more publicly about where we are in the talks and what the president might or might not be willing to do.”

“Conversations are ongoing at various levels,” he added.

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If Biden sticks to his initial offer, he could face accusations of not doing enough.

Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, and other supporters have mounted an effective public campaign to pressure the president to win her release. Supporters worry about her treatment in a country where anti-American and anti-gay vitriol are deeply embedded in popular views and official propaganda. Images of a grim-faced Griner being led, handcuffed, in and out of court, towering over her armed guards, have become commonplace in U.S. and international media.

The administration could make a more attractive offer, but U.S. officials already worry that deals for prisoners could encourage hostile foreign governments to detain Americans on trumped-up charges in exchange for concessions like freeing their own wrongdoers. Some Republicans have already complained that Biden’s existing offer creates such an incentive.

A 6-foot-9 center, Griner won a college national championship with Baylor in 2012, a WNBA championship with the Mercury in 2014, Olympic gold medals with the U.S. team at the 2016 and 2020 games, and four EuroLeague championships with the Russian team UMMC Yekaterinburg. Like many players in the WNBA, where salaries are much lower than in the NBA, Griner — who also played one season for a professional team in China — has played overseas to supplement her income.

The Biden administration offered to trade Brittney Griner for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who was serving a 25-year sentence in the US.

Viktor Bout was nicknamed the "Merchant of Death" due to his involvement in arms dealing, and his release was a top priority for the Russian government.

The prisoner swap between Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout was facilitated by the UAE, and was seen as a positive development in Russian-American relations.

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Content: Diplomat Sparks Renewed Hope For Brittney Griner Prisoner Exchange

The situation surrounding Brittney Griner's case is looking a little less bleak, thanks to the recent developments brought about by negotiations between the U.S. and Russia.

In early November, the WNBA star had been transferred to a penal colony in the Russian republic of Mordovia. There, she began fulfilling her nine-year sentence for drug possession. As reported by Reuters, authorities initially arrested Griner in February 2022 after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were discovered in her luggage at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport. While she attempted to appeal the ruling, it was ultimately upheld by a Russian court.

"This has been [a] very traumatic experience, waiting for this day, waiting for the first court, and getting nine years for a crime that I was barely over the significant amount," she said at the hearing (via CBS News). "I don't understand the first court's decision to give one year less than the max when I've been here almost 8 months, and people with more severe crimes have gotten less than what I was given... I really hope that the court will adjust this sentence, because it's been very, very stressful and very traumatic to my mental and psyche, being away from my family and not being able to communicate." However, there is now renewed hope that Griner could be released, with a Russian diplomat claiming that a swap could happen sometime in the future.

Russian diplomat says there's 'always a chance' for a swap

Not all hope is lost, after all. According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Russia is not turning its back on the possibility of a prisoner exchange with the U.S. As reported by the New York Post, Ryabkov told reporters that there is "always a chance" when asked about the likelihood of a swap taking place before the end of the year. However, he noted that in the past, there had been multiple instances when it seemed as if Russia would agree to a swap, only for the plan to fall apart. If the prisoner swap does take place, Ryabkov said it would "send a positive signal that not everything is hopeless in Russian-American relations."

In the meantime, it looks like Brittney Griner has her work cut out for her. Maria Alyokhina, a former member of the band Pussy Riot, didn't mince words when she spoke to NPR about her own experience at a Russian penal colony. "It has a bit better conditions than [the] original gulag system from the 1950s," she said, but added that it's still "a labor camp." She described the grim reality she endured while serving out her own sentence, calling it inhumane. "For 100 women, there are like three toilets and no hot water," she recalled, adding that the penal colony is merely a "legal slavery system."

According to a statement released by her lawyers (via BBC), she is trying her best to survive and is "doing as well as could be expected and trying to stay strong as she adapts to a new environment."

Brittney Griner's experiences in the Russian penitentiary system were traumatic, with reports of inhumane conditions, labor camps, and limited access to medical care.

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Content: Former prisoner in Russian punishment colony reveals to CNN what American Grainer can expect after 9 years in prison
The world.
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Nadezhda Tolokonikova, from the group "Female Riot", spent nearly two years in a penal colony after demonstrating against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Tolokonikova explained what American basketball player Britney Grainer could expect after she was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug trafficking and shared the harsh conditions that occur in the Russian penal colonies.
Tolokonikova said she believed it would be “particularly difficult for Britney because she doesn ’ t know Russian, she can ’ t learn the law she has to abide by in the penal colony, and she can ’ t protect herself. ”
“The worst thing about a penal colony is watching the death of others around you and not being able to do anything.
People die from hard physical work and not being able to get the medical treatment they need.
But you're just another prisoner.
You can't do anything about it.
You just have to witness this cruelty and know that something like this can happen to you as well. ”
Tolokonikova revealed the motivation that kept her alive, saying: "The most important thing now is to minimize the trauma that she will endure during this time period.
Thinking about your loved ones who are waiting for you and who need you, don ’ t give up on your life.
Things like finding a beautiful flower and thinking that this beautiful flower was able to grow in these terrible and terrifying conditions in this nightmarish world prompted me to stay alive and not lose faith that there would be life outside the punitive colony. ”
Tolokonikova concluded: “I hope Britney will come home as soon as possible and experience as little trauma as possible in her condition.
I ’ m really looking forward to reuniting her with her family. ”

Despite the challenges she faced, Brittney Griner maintained her strength and resilience, and was eventually released from prison in December 2022.

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Content: Breaking

WNBA Star Brittney Griner Released From Russian Captivity in Prisoner Swap

Months after being sentenced to 9 years in prison, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from Russian detention and is "on her way home," President Joe Biden shared on Dec. 8.

By Jess Cohen, Emlyn Travis Dec 08, 2022 1:33 PMTags
Watch: Brittney Griner: Russia Ready to Discuss Prisoner Swap

After months of heartache, Brittney Griner is officially free.

The WNBA star has been released after 294 days in Russian captivity, a senior administration official announced on Dec. 8. Griner—who was found guilty on drug charges by a Russian court and sentenced to 9 years in prison in August—was traded for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was 11 years into a 25 year sentence.

Per the official, President Joe Biden signed off on the trade, which took place in the UAE. American businessman Paul Whelan was not included in the deal.

"Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner," the president tweeted Dec. 8 alongside photos of Brittney's wife Cherelle Griner and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. "She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home."

This news comes nearly a year after the Phoenix Mercury center, who plays for a Russian team during the off-season, was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport for allegedly possessing vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in her luggage.

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She was later charged with smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors or analogues, and with illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, manufacture, processing of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues. During her trial on July 7, Brittney pled guilty to all of the charges but said that she did not act deliberately.

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"My parents taught me two important things," Brittney told the court through tears following closing arguments on Aug. 4. "Take ownership for your responsibilities and work hard for everything that you have. That's why I plead guilty to my charges. I understand the charges against me. I had no intent to break any Russian laws. I want the courts to understand it was an honest mistake."

She continued, "I never meant to hurt anybody. I never meant to break any Russian laws. I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn't end my life here."

Brittney had previously testified that she was legally prescribed medical marijuana by a doctor in the United States. She said she was going through airport security when a member of staff asked her to open her bag, which led to the discovery of the cartridges, per NBC News. After signing documents that she wasn't able to understand without Google Translate, the basketball player was able to call a lawyer before her phone was confiscated.

"At that point it felt like I was being held against my will," she said, according to the outlet. "I asked again what's going on and when can I see my lawyer. I was then told I have to be interrogated."

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Brittney's legal team later told E! News in a statement that they were "very disappointed" by the court's decision and planned to file an appeal.

"As legal professionals, we believe that the court should be fair to everyone regardless of nationality," they shared. "The court completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the guilty plea. This contradicts the existing legal practice. Taking into account the amount of the substance (not to mention the defects of the expertise) and the plea, the verdict is absolutely unreasonable. We will certainly file an appeal."

Biden also shared his disappointment. "Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney," he said in a statement. "It's unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates."

The president kept in touch with Brittney and wrote her a letter shortly after the athlete sent an open letter to the White House, which arrived on July 4.

During a July 28 press conference, Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared that the administration had "put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate" the release of Brittney and Whelan, per NBC News. "Our governments have communicated repeatedly and directly on that proposal, and I'll use the conversation to follow up personally and, I hope, move us toward a resolution."

Throughout her time in prison, Brittney has received steadfast support from her wife Cherelle as well as fellow athletes including Stephen Curry, Megan Rapinoe and more.

"I have to walk the fine line of harm versus help when it comes to my wife right now," Cherelle told CBS Mornings on July 5. "So, as much as I want to advocate for her and push for our governments to do everything, I also have to take into account that she's in a position where she could be harmed also, by any and everything I do, and so, it's a thin line to walk."

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The American government's efforts to free Brittney Griner were led by President Joe Biden, who signed off on the prisoner swap and kept in touch with Brittney throughout her detention.

The US government also worked with Brittney's wife, Cherelle, and other advocacy groups to raise awareness about her case and push for her release.

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Content: Brittney Griner’s Wife, Cherelle, Makes First Social Media Post Since WNBA Star’s Return

by Jonathan Howard

Brittney Griner is home and her wife Cherelle is relieved to have her back. She had a lot of people to thank as she broke her silence online. On Monday, Cherelle made her first social media post since Griner returned to the United States. This is an emotional time for the family.

As Brittney Griner has settled back into her life here in the states, Cherelle was thanking all of the people that helped make it possible. Griner was held in Russia for months for possessing vape pen cartridges. When an agreement on her release was made, she had been living at a Russian penal colony.

On Instagram, Cherelle was thankful for a lot of folks.

“Yesterday my heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of MANY!” she wrote. “I’m humbled by their hearts. To care for another, a stranger to some, a friend to some – is humanity in its purest form! As BG and I start our journey to heal our minds, bodies, and spirits – I wanted to personally say thank you to some of the hands; seen and unseen, that helped make it possible for me to see my wife again!”

In her post, she thanked the Biden Administration as well as various members of congress. While thanking all those involved, Cherelle also thanked Paul Whelan’s family.

“I appreciate each and every one of you – Let’s continue to use our hands, voices, platforms, and resources to bring Paul and all Americans home. All families deserve to be whole!” the post ended.

Brittney Griner Returns to Basketball Workouts

While Brittney Griner is a lot of things, she is a basketball player. So, she’s already back to practicing and the WNBA forward has still got it. During her detainment and imprisonment in Russia, Griner was offered the chance to practice playing basketball. However, given her situation, it didn’t feel right.

ESPN reported that Griner had a light workout and was able to dunk a basketball. She has not made a decision on when or if she will return to basketball as a professional. After the 10 months that she has been through, it is no surprise that she is taking time to make this decision.

The entire basketball world is behind Brittney Griner. She has had a lot of support from the NBA and WNBA. When it comes time to make that decision, she will make it. Until then, it’s just about getting back to her normal life.

Outsider.com

After her release, Brittney Griner returned to the US and was reunited with her family, and has since been adjusting to life back at home.

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Content: MadameNoire Featured Video

Source: Mike Mattina / Getty

Brittney Griner’s new chapter of freedom following her release from a Russian penal colony includes a new change in her appearance.

Footage of the 6-foot-9 WNBA star showed Griner returning to the U.S. from Russia without her torso-length locs.

A source close to the Pheonix Mercury player told Insider that the 32-year-old basketball star decided to cut her hair to avoid the impacts of Russia’s brutal winters.

More context provided by the outlet and ESPN’s TJ Quinn highlighted that Russian authorities were holding Griner in a facility with limited heat and hot water and that the WNBA felt especially cold after washing her locs.

Play

Brittney Griner’s Locs And Release

Griner’s Russian attorney, Maria Blagovolina, told ESPN that the athlete presumed she’d stay in Russia for the long haul.

That said, Griner’s big chop was prompted by the athlete wanting to make her life easier.

“She should have waited until New Year’s Day,” Blagovolina stated.

“She had honestly no complaints,” the attorney added, reflecting on Griner’s life in the penal colony. “Things could have been much worse.”

President Biden said on Dec. 8 that securing Griner’s release took “painstaking and intense negotiations.”

“This is a day we’ve worked toward for a long time,” he expressed. “We never stopped pushing for her release.”

Griner was released via a prisoner swap for Russian Arms dealer Viktor Bout.

The athlete was detained in Russia since February after being apprehended at a Moscow airport for having cannabis vape cartridges in her possession.

Griner later pled guilty and was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison. While the athlete chopped off her locs out of presumed necessity, the act often symbolizes a new beginning for those who’ve grown their hair for such a long time.

We wish Griner and her family the best as they transition into her latest chapter, one of freedom.

RELATED CONTENT: “People Who Are Big Mad Brittney Griner Is Free Don’t Value Black Women”

TRENDING ON MADAMENOIRE

Brittney Griner has spoken publicly about her experiences in Russia, and has expressed gratitude to the Biden administration and others who worked to secure her release.

She has also stated that she does not intend to play basketball outside of the US again, and is focused on her recovery and adjustment to life back at home.

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Content: Here's What To Know About The 2024 USA Women's Basketball Team

Women's sports across the board are on the rise, but no singular women's game has gotten as much attention in 2024 as basketball. Earlier in the summer, the 2024 Women's National Team made headlines after basketball star Caitlin Clark was left off the roster, an omission that was met with intense discourse. Whether that decision was right or not is a debate for another time, but what's not up for debate is that the 12 women who did make the roster are also incredibly talented athletes, many of whom have been part of Team USA's historic dominance in women's basketball. As of this writing the women have won seven straight gold medals at the Olympics; their overall record in Olympic play is 72 wins, 3 losses.

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The athletes on Team USA women's basketball go from competitors in the WNBA to teammates representing their country within weeks, and they travel to take on the world's best teams in the sport. Team USA takes their assignment seriously, and their 2024 goal is the same as every Olympics prior. Here's what to know about the 2024 USA women's basketball team ahead of their bid for gold.

A'ja Wilson is a best-selling author

She's got more credentials than most of her peers, including NCAA champion, WNBA champion, MVP, and Olympic gold medalist, and she's widely considered the best female basketball player in the world right now, but A'ja Wilson is making an impact off the court, too. In early 2024, Wilson's first book, "Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You" was published.

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The book is a continuation and expansion of the 2021 essay "Dear Black Girls" that Wilson wrote for The Players' Tribune. In it, she talked about her experience as a Black woman in the United States. "I felt like us as Black women, we needed something for us. I think we see a lot of things for different race and other genders, but when it comes to the Black woman, it's something that you rarely see. So for me to kind of speak my truth in it and let people see me and see that I'm human was something that I was just so eager to do," Wilson said to The Washington Post on why she turned her essay into a book. Wilson's original essay was met with positivity from readers, and her book was, too: "Dear Black Girls: How to Be True to You" became a New York Times Best Seller (which certainly helped pad A'ja Wilson's impressive net worth).

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Diana Taurasi is one of the oldest athletes on Team USA

A'ja Wilson may be considered the best female basketball player right now, but long before she was drafted, Diana Taurasi held that distinction. Taurasi's resume is massive, and her list of accomplishments seems never-ending. The Phoenix Mercury athlete is the only player in the WNBA to have scored 10,000 points, and she has five Olympic gold medals. Taurasi is also the oldest person on her squad, and she's one of the oldest Olympians on all of Team USA.

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But as Taurasi has pointed out, while some athletes have been praised for being able to still compete in the Olympics at an age that's considered old in the sports world, she's been met with a different reaction. In recent years, the two-time WNBA Finals MVP has repeatedly been asked about retirement. "Only a woman would have 20 years of experience and it's an Achilles heel instead of something that is treasured and used as a way forward for our sport and for women," Taurasi said in an Olympic press conference, as reported by NBC Sports. "Hopefully we can change that narrative," she said, adding that her goals are to play well, be a good teammate, and win gold. Despite the chatter, Taurasi has confirmed that this Olympics will be her sixth and final. Should Team USA win gold in 2024, Taurasi will become the most decorated Olympian in basketball — male or female — in history.

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Brittney Griner will only play overseas for Team USA

Brittney Griner has been playing for Team USA for many years. The Baylor alum has two Olympic gold medals under her belt, as well as a couple of FIBA World Cup golds. But what Griner is perhaps best known for today is her nearly one-year-long stay in a Russian penal camp after being arrested on a drug charge while traveling to play a season overseas. The WNBA star's detainment in Russia, as well as the trade made to bring her home, was met with controversy as Griner had previously been branded anti-American for various reasons. "It hurt me the most, because I love this country and I value this country," Griner said on "Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview" about the backlash.

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At Griner's first press conference for the Phoenix Mercury after her imprisonment, she touched on why she was playing in Russia to begin with, noting that she hopes the women's basketball league in the United States will grow enough so players don't have to compete professionally overseas. Griner also shared that she doesn't intend to play outside of the United States again unless she's wearing a Team USA jersey. Now, in 2024, Griner is doing just that at her third Olympics. "It means everything to me honestly. For me to now have the honor to wear it again and potentially win gold is icing on the cake for everything," Griner told the Associated Press.

Sabrina Ionescu was mentored by NBA stars

2024 marks Sabrina Ionescu's Olympic debut. The New York Liberty guard has played for Team USA in the past, even winning gold multiple times, but the Paris Games are her first Olympics. Granted, the Olympics are the only place Ionescu is still considered a rookie, and she's got the connections to prove it. When asked who the most famous person in her phone is, Ionescu casually replied, "Steph Curry." And her connection with the NBA champion (and first-time Olympian in 2024) is genuine — Curry serves as a mentor for Ionescu given their similar skill set and style of play. "I love having a relationship with Curry. I remember when I was little, watching him and emulating my game after him and now I'm able to call or text him any time," Ionescu said in an interview with NBA.com.

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Ionescu also had a friendship with the late Kobe Bryant. Ionescu first met Kobe, an ardent supporter of women's basketball, when he and his daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant attended one of her games while she was playing for the Oregon Ducks. Kobe then became a mentor to Ionescu, and Ionescu became a mentor to Gigi. Their close bond remained until Kobe and Gigi died in a helicopter accident in 2020. Ionescu has maintained a relationship with Kobe's surviving daughters and his wife, Vanessa Bryant.

Breanna Stewart cofounded a new women's basketball league

WNBA athletes make significantly less than their male counterparts — so much so, many female players compete overseas in the offseason to supplement their incomes. Certain leaders in the league, like Breanna Stewart, are looking to change that. While the players don't have much influence on their WNBA earnings, they are doing what they can to earn more money in the offseason without traveling to different countries. In 2024, Stewart announced that she and her friend and Olympic teammate Napheesa Collier were launching Unrivaled, a 3x3 women's basketball league that will begin in January of 2025, take place in Miami, and feature 30 of the top current players.

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As Stewart shared, multiple aspects of Unrivaled set it apart. As noted, the league will offer women's basketball players the opportunity to stay in the United States, but it's also going to offer the highest average salary in a women's league across the globe. Additionally, all 30 players will have equity in Unrivaled. Stewart sees this as a chance to grow the game as a whole. "The movement of women's sports is going to continue to grow, and we're gonna make sure it's better and better year after year," she said in an interview with "Good Morning America." As of this writing, 10 of the 30 Unrivaled players have been announced, including Stewart and Collier, as well as Kelsey Plum and Angel Reese.

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Kahleah Copper is a first-time Olympian

The 2024 United States women's basketball team is full of veterans, but there are multiple first-time Olympians, too. One such individual is Kahleah Copper, a Rutgers alum who currently plays for the Phoenix Mercury (she joins her teammates Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner on Team USA). Copper was selected seventh overall in the 2016 WNBA Draft, and since then she's been with multiple teams in the league. In 2022, she joined Team USA for the FIBA World Cup and helped win gold. "I think about Kah four years ago, five years ago, and where she is today, and it's really a testament to her work ethic and passion. She loves the game. She's great to be around," USA women's basketball coach Cheryl Reeve said about Copper to the Chicago Sun Times.

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Although Copper had the FIBA experience with Team USA, being selected for the Olympic team was special. "I haven't been super emotional since then (first announcement), but I think yesterday, we all got on the bus and just being able to see the police escort and just sitting on that bus, like going to the first practice... I'm like, 'this is real.' I think I just had a moment where I'm like, 'wow, it's real,'" Copper said to USAB at the start of the team's official Olympic run.

Jackie Young is a 3x3 gold medalist

The 2024 USA women's basketball team is an experienced bunch. Many of them have won gold before, including Jackie Young. Young, a guard for the Las Vegas Aces and Notre Dame alum, played for the 2020 USA 3x3 National Team and helped bring home gold with a final win over the Russian Olympic Committee team at the Tokyo games. But Young wasn't originally supposed to compete in the games. The 2020 Olympics were postponed to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the ongoing pandemic, players had to follow strict health protocols and were not allowed to compete if they tested positive for the virus.

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Just before the games, USA 3x3 National Team pick Katie Lou Samuelson tested positive for COVID-19 and had to back out. Team USA officials contacted Young — who was on vacation in Florida (the WNBA takes an extended break during the Olympics so league players can compete in the Games) — and hours later she was with Stefanie Dolson, Kelsey Plum, and Allisha Gray in Tokyo ready to play basketball. "It's crazy to think about. Ten days ago, I was on vacation. My life changed like that. Now I'm a gold-medalist. It's crazy how things work out," Young told USA Today after the Games.

Kelsey Plum helps new players transition into the WNBA

Kelsey Plum had an incredible collegiate career. The current Las Vegas Aces guard broke records while at the University of Washington, most notably becoming the NCAA women's all-time leading scorer (a record that has since been broken by Caitlin Clark). Plum went on to be the WNBA's number one draft pick in 2017, but her rookie season wasn't nearly as successful as her time in the NCAA. "It was a hard time for me. I think that the expectations for myself and then also the outside world were very unrealistic. ... Definitely a lot of pressure. A lot of headlines, but that comes with the territory. So you just kind of had to grow tough skin," Plum told the Las Vegas Review-Journal of her first season in the WNBA.

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Plum didn't want her experience as a rookie in the WNBA to continue for incoming guards, so she teamed up with Under Armour to create Dawg Class, a training camp to prepare collegiate players who've either been or are looking to be drafted into the league ahead of their transition. "When I came out of college, I was kind of on an island in terms of my understanding for the WNBA, my understanding for that transition and what it took. My idea was really to just help," Plum told The Athletic of Dawg Class.

Chelsea Gray missed the first half of the '24 WNBA season

Chelsea Gray is another experienced member of Team USA women's basketball. The guard helped the squad bring home gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as well as the 2022 FIBA World Cup. Gray is also a starter for the Las Vegas Aces, a team she's helped win back-to-back WNBA championships. Although the Aces won over the New York Liberty in the 2023 finals, game three of the series didn't go as planned for Gray. The Duke alum suffered a foot injury that kept her from playing game four and delayed her start to the 2024 season.

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In mid-June of 2024, Gray was finally healthy enough to return to the court. She didn't start, but she did get meaningful minutes of play, racking up an assist within her first 20 seconds. "It's been a long time since I've been out on that court. But the fans were amazing from the time I came out to warm up to the time I checked in the game. It was a rush and a feeling I missed a lot," Gray said to ESPN after the game.

Napheesa Collier posed on a magazine cover with her newborn

There are several differences between men's and women's professional sports. One of the biggest is that women often have to take extended breaks from their sport either to give birth or for postpartum recovery. Napheesa Collier knows about this first-hand. The Minnesota Lynx player who won gold with Team USA at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games missed over half of the 2022 WNBA season after giving birth to her daughter. Collier delivered her child in May, and by August, she was on the court again. "Obviously, there's some nerves coming in, especially this late in the season and trying to get back here and rush to do everything. But it felt so good to hear my name called and have the fans cheer for me. It was a really good feeling. So I'm really glad I played tonight," Collier said in a post-game interview, as reported by ESPN.

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To make her return to her sport even more notable, the Unrivaled cofounder posed on the cover of Slam magazine with her newborn ahead of her first game back. "Super honored to be on the cover of SLAM! Thanks for having me," the Olympian said on Instagram.

Alyssa Thomas is engaged to one of her WNBA teammates

Alyssa Thomas is a bona fide baller. A forward for the Connecticut Sun, Thomas currently holds the record for the most assists in a single WNBA season. She's also making her Olympic debut after winning gold with Team USA at the 2022 FIBA World Cup. One of Thomas' Sun teammates is especially proud of her for making it to the Olympics — her fiancee, DeWanna Bonner. "I think I was more anxious than her during that waiting process," Bonner told Slam of the time she and Thomas spent waiting to find out whether Thomas would be part of the Olympic team. "I'm just so proud of her, I'm so happy for her. It's something that she really, really worked hard for."

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Bonner, a talented basketball player herself (she's currently fifth on the list of all-time leading scorers in the WNBA), and Thomas first got to know each other when Bonner was traded to the Sun, the team Thomas has called home her entire career. Eventually their chemistry as teammates translated into a romantic relationship, and as of this writing, the two plan to get married some time after the Olympics.

Jewell Loyd was given a special nickname

It's no secret that NBA legend Kobe Bryant was a major supporter of women's basketball. The superstar shooting guard was a mentor to a number of WNBA powerhouses, and he coached his daughter Gigi Bryant's team up until their tragic deaths. What's more, Kobe, who was known as the Black Mamba, bestowed significant nicknames upon stars of the WNBA: Diana Taurasi became the White Mamba, and he called Jewell Loyd the Gold Mamba. "You not only gave me wisdom. You gave me the name Mamba. Mamba is not just a word, its [sic] a way of life. We don't quit and we don't cower; we endure and conquer," Loyd said in an open letter to Kobe following his death.

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Loyd wasn't just given the nickname — she earned it. After a stellar collegiate career, Loyd was selected first overall in the 2015 WNBA Draft, and she won Rookie of the Year that same year. An all-star guard, Loyd has spent all of her career so far with the Seattle Storm. She made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games where she earned gold with Team USA.

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Brittney Griner's story has highlighted the importance of researching foreign laws and regulations, particularly for athletes and travelers who may be unaware of the risks and consequences of certain actions.

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Content: WNBA star Brittney Griner was found guilty of drug charges in Russia and sentenced to nine years in prison. White House officials have offered to do a prisoner swap for the release of Griner. Do you think Russia will cooperate with the United States?

Dexter Pearce, Washington, D.C.

Unfortunately, we all knew she’d be found guilty because the trial was a sham. But a guilty verdict was necessary for the Russian government to start seriously considering the prisoner swap. Swapping her before she’s guilty would mean Russia was admitting she was purely a political prisoner. So while this is a terrible situation, the verdict brings her one step closer to getting home.

Shango G., Norfolk, Va.

This is very sad. Honestly, I feel arrogance got us here. Brit’s arrogance, for not listening when to leave, for bringing paraphernalia in her luggage where she knew she should not. Then America’s arrogance for thinking they can politicize her way back here. It may have fueled their courts and lessened any chance of sympathy.

Andre Thomas, Orlando, Fla.

I can only hope this encourages more Americans to research the laws and customs of countries they visit because Americans seem to think that their constitutional protections follow them everywhere they go.

T. Randolph, Washington, D.C.

I want someone to tell me what is the difference between hundreds of thousands locked up for marijuana in America and her. Why not a protest to free them? Russia doesn’t owe her or America anything.

Felicia Gibbs, Socorro, N.M.

Why do people think she gets a free pass just because she is American? Common sense should have told her to check and double-check her luggage, something I do before I fly internationally. Each country has its prohibitions listed.

The case has also raised questions about the use of prisoner swaps as a diplomatic tool, and the potential implications for international relations.

In terms of her basketball career, Brittney Griner is a highly accomplished player, with two Olympic gold medals, multiple WNBA championships, and a reputation as one of the best players in the world.

She has played for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, and has averaged 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game over the course of her career.

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Content: WNBA: Brittney Griner makes first comeback after being jailed in Russia: 'It's a miracle she's back here'
Author: Wu Muer
Published: Updated:
American star center Brittney Griner, who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months, returned to the United States for the first time since being released in December to play for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA pre-season warm-up.
Even if the team is 71: 90 against the Los Angeles Sparks, Glenna's performance is still a long way from the level of the game, no one cares about the result, coach Vanessa Nygaard and Mercury teammates are excited, opponents of the Sparks players tightly hugged her, Glenna said this battle is significant, saying: "Never take any day for granted."
Glenna (right) returns to basketball for the first time since returning to the United States. (Reuters)
Glenna, 32, is one of the most famous female basketball stars in the United States. She was selected to the WNBA star team eight times and won the Olympic gold medal twice for the United States.
Possession of cannabis is illegal in Russia, but the standard penalty for possession of cannabis oil under 2 grams or cannabis under 6 grams is a fine or imprisonment for up to 15 days.
The United States initially attempted diplomatic mediation without success, alleging that Glenna was "illegally arrested" by the Russian side, and the incident became a new chapter in the political turmoil between the United States and Russia.
In September last year, a Russian court sentenced Glenna to nine years in prison. After her appeal was dismissed, the United States and Russia finally reached a prisoner exchange agreement and were released from prison on December 8.
She has returned to the team training earlier, Saturday for the first time in the game, is selected to play 17 minutes, the first minute has scored two points, the 6 feet 9 inches of the center long sparrow, the performance inevitably has a "rust" sense, 5 shot 2, with the penalty ball scored 10 points, and 3 rebounds, she knows that the distance from the best state is still far, after a disaster she said: Sitting here, I never thought I could play basketball so quickly. "
Glenna took part in a live video interrogation at a Russian prison last year. (AP)
“I don ’ t know what will happen, but I ’ m grateful to be here. ”
I won ’ t take it for granted any day since, ” she said. “Hearing the national anthem again feels completely different. ”
It's like being in the Olympics, you sit there, the gold medal is about to wear the neck, the national flag is raised, the national anthem is played, and the feeling is very different. "
For the first time since 2021, Glenna is competing in a Mercury suit. “Being here today means a lot … it feels good, it definitely feels appreciated. ”
I can ’ t wait to get back to a day where it was just basketball. ” Yes, because everyone was completely distracted by her return to the game, even the team ’ s head coach.
Mercury coach Vanessa Nygaard said that the national anthem and the introduction of the moment, the whole team is excited, "we look at each other, the chicken skin straight up."
Last year we had everything here all year, and now I ’ m starting to feel emotional.
It was an absolute miracle just to see Glenna come out again, it was amazing, and it made me skin again. ”
Glenna has twice won Olympic gold medals for the United States, including the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. (Getty Images)
Glinna's return to the field also rekindled Mercury's hopes for the title.
She was the 2013 WNBA draft pick, was selected by Mercury and has been playing since then, winning the team's third WNBA championship in 2014. She averaged 17.7 points and 7.6 rebounds in nine years of WNBA career, and Mercury won the final of the playoffs for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018.
In 2022, the team lost to Glenna, and the team was defeated by the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the playoffs 0: 2.
In the comeback war, Glenna did not perform as expected, thinking that she was detained in Russia for 10 months, during which time she was interrogated, sentenced to heavy prison, imprisoned in a mysterious prison where the outside world can not know the location, coupled with lack of language, psychological torture and suffering, to be able to step out of the field is actually a victory.
She confessed, “It ’ s far from what I hoped, but it ’ s back on track, and we ’ re doing the right thing. ”
The WNBA 2023 regular season kicks off on Friday, May 19, with Mercury playing against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Greta returned to the game for the first time with a lot of expressions:
+ 1

Brittney Griner's detention and release have also sparked conversations about the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly in Russia, where there are concerns about discrimination and persecution.

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Content: Brittney Griner freed from Russian prison in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout

The US and Russia have exchanged jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, once nicknamed “the Merchant of Death,” officials said.

The swap was confirmed by US officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations ahead of an expected White House announcement, the Associated Press reports.

Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist whose months-long imprisonment on drug charges brought unprecedented attention to the population of wrongful detainees.

She was arrested in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage - but she maintained it was an honest mistake.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris confirmed on Thursday morning they had already spoken by phone with Griner and she is said to have been in good spirits.

In a celebratory tweet, Mr Biden said Griner, a native of Houston, Texas, is on a plane home and is safe.

The Russian foreign ministry said it traded Griner for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel whom the US Justice Department once described as one of the world’s most prolific arms dealers.

Bout, whose exploits inspired a Hollywood movie, was serving a 25-year sentence on charges that he conspired to sell tens of millions of dollars in weapons that US officials said were to be used against Americans.

The deal, the second such exchange in eight months with Russia, procured the release of the most prominent American detained abroad.

The dramatic high-level prisoner exchange, however, did not include the release of Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive jailed in Russia since December 2018 on espionage charges.

Mr Whelan's family and the US government say the accusations against him are baseless. He was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison.

Griner pleaded guilty in July, though still faced trial because admitting guilt in Russia’s judicial system does not automatically end a case. She acknowledged in court she possessed the canisters, but said she had no criminal intent and said their presence in her luggage was due to hasty packing.

Her status as an openly gay Black woman, locked up in a country where authorities have been hostile to the LBGTQ community, infused racial and gender dynamics into the picture and made each development a matter of global importance.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know

Overall, the story of Brittney Griner is a complex and multifaceted one, involving themes of detention, incarceration, diplomacy, and resilience.

The case has highlighted the importance of international cooperation and diplomacy, as well as the need for awareness and education about foreign laws and regulations.

As Brittney Griner continues to adjust to life back at home, her story serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks faced by athletes and travelers who venture abroad, and the importance of support and advocacy in securing their safety and release.