Brittney Griner was detained in Russia in 2022 for marijuana possession, facing up to 10 years in prison.

She pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court and was sentenced to 9 years in prison after her appeal was rejected.

Griner's detention was seen as a wrongful and political hostage situation, prompting the WNBA Players Association to call for President Joe Biden's support.

The US government deemed Griner's detention "unlawfully detained" and President Biden secured her release through a prisoner swap.

Griner was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout and arrived in San Antonio, Texas.

The US and Russia, aided by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, negotiated a prisoner swap, a rare instance of common ground since the Ukraine invasion.

Griner faced harsh conditions in a Russian prison, with limited heat, hot water, and no access to her lawyer or family.

The US government, led by Roger Carstens and with daily updates to President Biden, worked to secure Griner's release.

Griner's case has sparked controversy among Americans, who are calling for her release and criticizing the Russian government.

Griner's return to the US was met with both celebration and criticism over the prisoner swap that secured her release.

Griner's imprisonment and release had significant political implications, with the Biden administration facing criticism for not securing the release of other detained Americans, like Paul Whelan.

Griner struggled in the Russian penitentiary system, unable to speak the language, even during her trial.

Griner's case highlights unequal pay in the US, prompting many WNBA players to play abroad for better pay.

Griner has been adjusting to life at home, thanking supporters, including her wife Cherelle, who advocated for her release.

Griner is working to return to professional basketball with the Phoenix Mercury.

Griner contemplated suicide in captivity but now feels relieved and grateful for her freedom, and plans to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Brittney Griner was detained in Russia in 2022 for marijuana possession, facing up to 10 years in prison.

Title:

Content: Brittney Griner: American women’s basketball superstar detained in Russia

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Brittney Griner, one of America’s most decorated women’s basketball players, has been detained by the Russian Federal Customs Service after it said it discovered vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.

The Customs Service confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday that the detainee in an incident last month at Sheremetyevo airport was a professional basketball player who played in the Women’s National Basketball Association and had also won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, but did not release the player’s name.

Related: Russia’s NHL hero Alex Ovechkin has a rare chance to hit Putin where it hurts

Russia’s state-run Tass news agency identified the player as Griner, a seven-time All-Star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury who helped lead Team USA to gold at the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games, citing a law enforcement source.

According to the Customs Service statement, drug-sniffing dogs in the airport’s customs area indicated the possible presence of narcotic drugs in the player’s carry-on baggage following her arrival on a flight from New York. A subsequent search of the luggage led to the discovery of the cartridges, a criminal violation under Russian law that carries a sentence of five to 10 years.

The Customs Service also released a video on Saturday in which the airport security services are seen going through the luggage of a passenger identified as Griner.

In a statement to the Guardian, Griner’s agent Lindsay Colas said: “We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA.

“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we 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.”

The WNBA said in a release that Griner has the league’s “full support” and “our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States”.

The Mercury echoed those sentiments in a statement issued later Saturday, saying they were “in constant contact” with Griner’s family and their main concern was the player’s safe return.

The 31-year-old Griner, who led Phoenix to the franchise’s third ever title in 2014 and a surprise return to the WNBA finals in October, has also played for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the offseason since 2015, helping the Russian club to three domestic titles and EuroLeague Women championships in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Nearly 90 of the WNBA’s 144 rostered players have spent time playing overseas during this offseason, where the earnings from their foreign clubs often dwarf what they make in the United States. Griner’s annual salary with UMMC of more than $1m per year is roughly quadruple the WNBA’s league maximum of about $228,000.

It is unclear how long Griner has been detained as Saturday’s statement said only that her arrest took place some time in February. She last played for UMMC on 29 January before the league took a two-week international break for Fiba World Cup qualifying and has been inactive on social media since 5 Feburary.

News of Griner being detained comes as Russian forces continue to bomb civilian targets on the 10th day of its invasion of Ukraine and amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the rest of the world. The US president, Joe Biden, has condemned the invasion of Ukraine and pushed a raft of sanctions with other world leaders against Moscow, which he says have left Putin isolated.

On Saturday, the US state department urged US citizens to leave Russia immediately, re-issuing its travel advisory.

Earlier Saturday, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, held an hour-long video call with United States senators in which he called for more support to defend his country from Russia’s invasion.

Rick Scott, a Republican, called for stronger measures against both Russia and its ally Belarus, tweeting that the US should take “EVERY action to destroy their economies”.

Griner is not the first US citizen to have been held in custody by Russian authorities as tensions between the countries have soared, prompting accusations by American officials that Moscow is using the detentions as bargaining chips for a potential prisoner exchange.

In January, Russian officials announced that US teacher Marc Fogel was earlier arrested in a Moscow airport with marijuana and cannabis, accusing the teacher of smuggling drugs into Russia and distributing them among students on a “large scale”.

That revelation followed the detention of two US Marines in separate incidents: Trevor Reed, who was charged with attacking two Russian police officers in a drunken brawl, and Paul Whelan, who was jailed after being convicted on espionage charges.

John Sipher, a national security analyst and veteran of the CIA’s clandestine service, pointed to the “decimated” state of the US embassy in Russia as a complicating factor in Griner’s case.

“There’s been a number of tit-for-tat expulsions over spy cases and the ambassador has been kicked out, so the embassy is under quite a bit of pressure with this crisis,” Sipher said Saturday in an interview on MSNBC. “I think it’s important to publicize her case because that’s the best thing that keeps her safe in this situation, because Russians have a tendency of not treating people very well who are in their custody.”

Griner, a 6ft 9in post player whose nose for the basket is matched only by her shot-blocking prowess, has played her entire nine-year WNBA career with the Mercury after an extraordinary four-year stint at Baylor University, where she led the Bears to an undefeated season and a national championship in 2012. She remains the only NCAA basketball player in history, male or female, to record 2,000 points and 500 blocked shots.

She has also been a trailblazer off the court in her own self-effacing style. Griner matter-of-factly acknowledged that she was a lesbian only days after Phoenix made her the No 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA draft – becoming one of the few out athletes in American sports at the time and arguably the most prominent – and later revealed that she had been silenced about her sexuality by her college coach over fears that it would hurt recruiting. (The coach did not deny the claim, saying that she was unable to respond specifically due to privacy concerns.)

One of only 11 players to have won NCAA, WNBA, EuroLeague and Olympic titles, Griner is widely regarded as one of the most dominant players of her or any generation.

She pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court and was sentenced to 9 years in prison after her appeal was rejected.

Title:

Content: US women's basketball center jailed in Russia for 9 years appeal rejected by WNBA union as a political pawn
Author: Li Jianming
Published: Updated:
Brittney Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the United States, was arrested in Russia in February for possession of drugs and sentenced to nine years in prison by a local court.
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She won two Olympic gold medals for the United States.
(Getty Images)
In February this year, Glenna went to Russia during the WNBA season to play for the world team to "earn extra money", but she was arrested at the airport after she was found to have cannabis oil and smoking tools in her luggage.
Glenna is in her cell and is being interrogated via live video. (Associated Press)
In August, a Russian court found Gulina guilty of possession of drugs and sentenced her to nine years in prison. Gulina appealed against her sentence, but was recently rejected by a local court.
Her defense lawyer expressed disappointment with the verdict, saying that in similar cases, the sentence is usually five years, and even in some cases, he will discuss the next move with Gulina.
The WNBA Players Association said in a statement that Glenna ’ s sentence was excessive and that her appeal was dismissed showed that Glenna had not only been wrongly detained, but that “she was clearly a hostage. ”
The union also called on U.S. President Joe Biden, FIBA and others to continue to voice their support for Glenna and bring her back to the United States, saying "no athlete should be treated as a political pawn."

Griner's detention was seen as a wrongful and political hostage situation, prompting the WNBA Players Association to call for President Joe Biden's support.

The US government deemed Griner's detention "unlawfully detained" and President Biden secured her release through a prisoner swap.

Title:

Content: WNBA star Brittney Griner is now in a foreign country, has been in prison for 100 days, the league players' union wrote a letter on the 29th asking US President Joe Biden to use his influence to get Griner out of a Russian prison. The WNBA also called on netizens to sign "We are all Griner" t-shirts, some players also wearing slogans to support Griner. Na, look forward to President Biden's attention.
In February this year, Glenna was found to be carrying marijuana e-cigarettes at Moscow airport by drug dogs and X-ray machines, and Russian officials also released CCTV images. Since then, Glenna has been detained and has not been heard from since, when Russia had not invaded Ukraine.
After the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out, the United States publicly supported Ukraine, and WNBA players worried that Graina would become a political prisoner.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced this month that Graina had been “unlawfully detained ” after Russia reportedly offered to exchange prisoners for the release of notorious arms smuggler Viktor Bout.
The petition website WeAreBG said: "Like many WNBA players, two-time Olympic gold medalist Glana traveled outside the season to play in other countries because of her love of basketball and unequal pay, and because of the unequal pay in the United States, she was illegally detained in Russia."
She is now unable to seek help from a lawyer, is being treated inhumanely and has lost contact with her family and friends.
In order to protect the safety of athletes developing overseas, the U.S. government must pay attention to this human rights issue and help Graina return home safely as soon as possible. ”
However, the petition website did not mention Graina's behavior in carrying marijuana to the border, and many American netizens criticized "not respecting the laws of other countries" and "drug users should pay the price."
※ China Times News Network reminds you: Stay away from drugs and protect your family!
# Glenna # WNBA # Biden # Russia # USA

Griner was exchanged for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout and arrived in San Antonio, Texas.

Title:

Content: Categories
Finance

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 US and Russia, aided by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, negotiated a prisoner swap, a rare instance of common ground since the Ukraine invasion.

Griner faced harsh conditions in a Russian prison, with limited heat, hot water, and no access to her lawyer or family.

The US government, led by Roger Carstens and with daily updates to President Biden, worked to secure Griner's release.

Title:

Content: Upon receiving letter from Houston's Brittney Griner, Biden says he's working to get her home

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- One day before the trial for Houston native Brittney Griner resumes in Russia, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Cherelle Griner, Brittney Griner's wife.

Biden's conversation with Cherelle Griner followed Brittney Griner's personal appeal to the president in a handwritten letter from the basketball superstar the White House received Monday.

In the letter, Brittney Griner said she feared she would spend forever in detention in Russia and asked Biden not to "forget about me and the other American Detainees."

Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia for four months and is currently on trial, accused of possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. The trial resumes Thursday.

Less than 1% of the defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted, and, unlike in U.S. courts, acquittals can be overturned.

"The president called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney Griner's release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world," the White House said in a statement. "He also read her a draft of the letter the President is sending to Brittney Griner (Wednesday)."

Biden offered the family his support and committed to making sure they receive "all possible assistance" during the administration's pursuit of Brittney Griner's release, the White House said. He added this situation has been at the top of his mind, and he receives daily updates about the status of Brittney Griner's negotiations.

Following the phone call, Cherelle Griner released a statement saying - in part - she's grateful for the time the president and vice president spent with her and for the commitment they expressed to bringing Brittney Griner home. Cherelle Griner admits she remains concerned and will stay outspoken, but is also hopeful.

The WNBA Players Association, upon learning about the president's phone call, says in a statement, it now has "a level of comfort BG has not been forgotten."

Additionally, a group of more than 1,100 Black women leaders sent an open letter to Biden and Harris on behalf of Brittney Griner.

The letter from the Win With Black Women Network, calling on the president and vice president to make a deal with Russian officials, is signed by basketball Hall of Famers, elected officials, activists and even Tina Knowles-Lawson, Beyonce's mother.

The women leaders say Brittney Griner is being used as a political pawn and enduring inhumane conditions while being denied communication with her spouse, family and friends.

For more sports news, follow Adam Winkler on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Copyright © 2022 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Griner's case has sparked controversy among Americans, who are calling for her release and criticizing the Russian government.

Griner's return to the US was met with both celebration and criticism over the prisoner swap that secured her release.

Title:

Content: Smart. Sharp. Funny. Fearless.

Monday, December 09, 2019

Brittney Griner in Russian custody

Youtube Screenshot

Multiple Republican members of Congress on Thursday responded to the release of WNBA player Brittney Griner from Russian custody by blaming the Biden administration for not also rescuing veteran Paul Whelan, who is also being held in Russia.

Russia has alleged that Whelan is a spy and isn’t eligible for the same sort of prisoner swap as Griner.

Griner was arrested at a Russian airport in February and sentenced to nine years in prison for drug charges. The Russian government agreed to exchange Griner for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years in U.S. federal prison in 2012.

Whelan was arrested in December 2018 and was accused by the Russian government of espionage, a charge he and his family deny. Whelan’s capture and detainment began while former President Donald Trump was in office, and his administration failed to negotiate Whelan’s release.

President Joe Biden explained why Whelan had not been a part of the exchange in a speech.

“We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan, who has been unjustly detained in Russia for years,” Biden said. “This was not a choice of which American to bring home. We brought home Trevor Reed when we had a chance earlier this year. Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up.”

Biden said that U.S. diplomats will continue to negotiate for Whelan’s release and called on Russia to ensure his health and humane treatment while he remains detained.

Whelan’s family members welcomed Griner’s release and noted the different circumstances of the two cases.

“The Biden administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen,” David Whelan, Paul’s brother, said in a statement.

Republican members of Congress on Thursday accused Biden of abandoning Whelan without noting that it is the Russian government under President Vladimir Putin — not Biden — who excluded Whelan from the prisoner exchange.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy claimed that the prisoner swap was “a gift to Vladimir Putin, and it endangers American lives,” and added, “leaving Paul Whelan behind for this is unconscionable.”

“Joe Biden’s prisoner swap with Vladimir Putin released Viktor Bout, the notorious ‘Merchant of Death’ who armed America’s worst enemies. And it left behind Paul Whelan, a Marine veteran who’s languishing in a Russian jail cell on trumped-up charges,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) wrote in a statement.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said freeing Griner was “weak and disgusting,” and added that “doing so while leaving Paul behind is unforgivable.”

“It is a bitter pill to swallow that Mr. Whelan remains in custody while we release the ‘Merchant of Death’ Viktor Bout back to Russia,” wrote Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) accused Biden of putting “celebrities over veterans” in securing Griner’s release, while Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) said Biden had left Whelan behind.

“I can’t help but think of Paul Whelan, who’s been ABANDONED by this White House,” wrote Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX).

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) said Whelan’s ongoing detention was a sign of “weakness” from the Biden administration. Rep Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) said the swap was “another bad deal made by Biden.”

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) called the swap “unforgivable,” while Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) said it was “unacceptable.”

The Biden administration has taken a more adversarial position with the Russian government than Trump, who downplayed concerns about Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Biden signed an executive order in April 2021 imposing sanctions on Russia for “actions by its government and intelligence services against U.S. sovereignty and interests.”

Following Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine in February, the Biden administration has — in concert with other governments — imposed multiple sanctions against the Russian government in protest of that nation’s unprovoked aggression.

Additionally, the U.S. government under Biden has sent more than $30 billion in aid to Ukraine as it fights against Russia, along with military equipment like long-range artillery.

Biden has said the U.S. will “stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes” while calling on Russia to “end this unprovoked aggression immediately and remove its troops from Ukraine.”

Reprinted with permission from American Independent.

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Griner's imprisonment and release had significant political implications, with the Biden administration facing criticism for not securing the release of other detained Americans, like Paul Whelan.

Griner struggled in the Russian penitentiary system, unable to speak the language, even during her trial.

Title:

Content: Sports
Basketball _ American female basketball star will be tried for possession of drugs in Russia, speech is difficult, and the palace denies political prosecution (17: 41)
U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner appeared for the first time in a local court yesterday after being detained for about four and a half months in Russia in February.
Galina revealed that she had difficulty speaking while on remand, while a Kremlin spokesman reiterated that the case was not politically motivated.
Galina, who flew to Moscow from New York in February, has been detained by Russian authorities for allegedly finding e-cigarettes containing illegal cannabis oil in her luggage.
She appeared in court for the first time yesterday, and told Reuters that she did not understand Russian, and that she had difficulty exercising and maintaining her health.
Her lawyer pointed out that while Galina has concerns about the trial and the potential sentence, "she is a tough woman, and I think she can withstand the pressure."
If she is eventually convicted, the maximum penalty is 10 years in prison.
After Galina's arrest, the U.S. government and several athletes urged the Russian side to release the two-time Olympic gold medalist, believing that she was innocent.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that the case was politically motivated, stressing that “only the court can decide ” on the basis of known facts.
Other reports: French news media said that Nima's implementation of the treaty to renew the PSG reconstruction plan was blocked
Other reports: Premier League _ Sana and Liverpool contract renewed for 3 years, nearly 400,000 pounds a week to break the team 's historical record
Related Words: Sports Poison Russian Basketball Britney Galina Editor 's recommendation
Previous / Next News

Griner's case highlights unequal pay in the US, prompting many WNBA players to play abroad for better pay.

Griner has been adjusting to life at home, thanking supporters, including her wife Cherelle, who advocated for her release.

Title:

Content: Advertisement Remove ads

Donald Trump Jr goes on vile rant attacking Brittney Griner after Russia release

Donald Trump Jr – son of the former President – has lashed out at WBNA star Brittney Griner, following her release from a Russian penal colony this week.

While many people shared their joy at her freedom, Trump Jr instead criticised the release and attacked her sporting skills.

He also made a string of jabs at President Joe Biden, who announced Griner’s release on Thursday (8 December), which was made in exchange for Russian criminal Viktor Bout, who was being held in the United States.

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Trump Jr referred to Griner as “an awful America hating WNBA player”, and in a series of tweets, attacked both President Biden’s negotiations for the queer WNBA star and Griner’s general allegiance to the nation.

Her release was celebrated by friends, teammates and celebrities.

Griner’s release drew much wider celebration on Thursday when Biden announced she was free and on her way back to the US, ending nearly 10 months of detainment in Russia on drug charges.

Griner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony in August for possession of a small amount of cannabis oil.

Where Trump Jr railed against Griner’s release, the voices of the LGBTQ+ community rang loudly.

“Britney Griner’s long awaited release is a relief for her wife, teammates, fans and all in the LGBTQ+ community who recognized the extreme danger she faced as an out gay Black woman detained in Putin’s Russia,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.

“Britney’s wife Cherelle never gave up fighting for her safe return, and president Biden and the State Department never wavered in their commitment to the Griners and the LGBTQ+ community on Britney’s behalf. We can’t wait to welcome Britney home.”

Activists on Twitter were quick to point out the efforts of Black queer feminists toward Griner’s release, hoping voices from the grassroots are not drowned out by diplomacy.

Griner’s release was most poignantly celebrated by her wife Cherelle, who, speaking in the Oval Office, expressed gratitude and overwhelm for the reunion of her family.

“So over the last nine months, you all have been so privy to one of the darkest moments of my life, and so today I’m just standing here overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion that I have right now is just sincere gratitude for president Biden and his entire administration,” she said.

Griner landed in the US on Friday (9 December) at a Texas airbase.

How did this story make you feel?

Griner is working to return to professional basketball with the Phoenix Mercury.

Title:

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:
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Griner contemplated suicide in captivity but now feels relieved and grateful for her freedom, and plans to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Content: 2024 Paris Olympics
Britney Spears to return to Europe after release from Russia: France is good and safe
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American basketball star Brittney Griner, who returned to Europe for the Olympics after spending nine months in a Russian prison, said she felt "good and safe" in France.
Spears was detained at Moscow airport in February 2022 on drug charges and released in December of the same year in a prisoner exchange with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
Britney Spears, 33, who is 2.06 meters tall, is once again competing in Europe.
She was particularly relaxed during the U.S. women's basketball team's first Olympic training session in Lille on Thursday.
She said, “I ’ m fine.
"Everyone wants to know how it feels to be back here after all this, but I feel good and safe in France, so I'm just looking forward to the game."
A prominent advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT +) community, Spears was playing for the Russian league in Yekaterinburg at the time of her arrest.
She now plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women ’ s Professional Basketball League (WNBA) and insists she will not consider returning to European clubs.
Britney said: "Of course, I will come here at some point with my family for a holiday, but European basketball is over for me.
I want to be with my family, with my little son, and I don ’ t want to miss anything.
Anyway, it's time to end the chapter, it's just not what I wanted it to be.
In an interview with ABC in April, Spears said she had contemplated suicide while in captivity in Russia.
The seventh-seeded United States will begin their Olympic journey in Lille on Sunday, with the first match against Japan.
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