This Thursday, July 7, the basketball player pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in the second session of her trial and faces up to ten years in prison in Russia.
“My wife is an American heroine.” These words are the words of Sherel, the wife of American basketball star Brittney Greener, who has been detained in Russia since February 17. The two-time gold medalist of the Olympic Games was arrested on the tarmac of the Moscow-Sheremetyevo airport, in possession of liquid hemp oil, which is illegal in the country. Far from his relatives, he still does not know what fate is reserved for him. On the second day of her trial this Thursday, July 7, the basketball player pleaded guilty to drug smuggling (on the advice of her lawyers) in a court in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow. He faces up to ten years in prison.
The conditions of his arrest
American basketball star Brittney Griner, who played for the Phoenix Mercury in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), landed in Russia in February to play in the Europa League. On this occasion, she joined the Russian team UMMC Yekaterinburg, with whom she reportedly won the Women’s Euroleague four times. Set free . After the confrontation, when the basketball player was about to fly from New York to Moscow airport, customs officials found a vape containing a “special smelling liquid” in her bag – cannabis. Brittney Greener is handcuffed and arrested on the spot after her 2m 06 height. Russia has not directly and publicly accepted his arrest. Until March 6, Russia’s Federal Customs Service had only explained that it was detaining “a member of the American National Basketball Association and a two-time Olympic basketball champion with the American team.”
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Her name was released, Lindsey Kagawa Kolas, her agent, who later announced on US ESPN that Brittney Griner was in “close contact” with her family, her teams, the WNBA and the NBA. “As this is an ongoing legal case, we cannot comment further on the specifics of his case, but we can confirm that as we work to bring him home, his mental and physical health remains ours. The main concern,” he added. .
After four months of detention, the trial of Britney Griner finally opened in Russia on July 1. An opportunity for many personalities in the sports world to show their support for their teammate. “If you compare his situation to the buzz and awareness that someone else’s situation would create … I don’t like playing this game, but right now it has to be driven home. him,” said 2022 NBA champion Stephen Curry. Meanwhile, an online petition for his release has been launched and has been signed by some 319,737 people.
His letter to Joe Biden
Meanwhile, Brittney Griner is also struggling to get out of the situation. He, who won the basketball world cup with the USA in 2014 and 2018, wrote a heartbreaking letter to the President of the United States, Joe Biden, in early July. “I dread the idea of being here forever, can we read? I understand that you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget me and the other prisoners. Please do whatever you can to bring us home.’
In her mission, the basketball player even admits that she voted only once in her life, in 2020, for the current president of America. “I believe in you,” he justified. I still have so much to do with my freedom that you can help restore. I miss my wife. I miss my family. I miss my teammates,” continued the 31-year-old American. As noted The Cut: Britney Griner’s arrest in Russia is also concerning “given her status as an athlete and her identity as a black LGBTQ+ woman.” Vladimir Putin has always been against homosexuality, announcing in 2020 that he would never legalize marriage for everyone.
The letter has not been disclosed in full to avoid detailing the conditions of the top athlete’s detention and the ill-treatment of her. According to his lawyers, he is still authorized to send and receive messages from the United States, even though they are under the control of Russian authorities.
Negotiable currency for Russia
Everyone in the Americas is now working for his release. “We are going to do everything we can to get Brittney Griner back safe and sound,” said White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre. But how ? Britney Griner, who was arrested in Russia just a few days before Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, could become an instrument of diplomatic and political conflict.
In this regard, several scenarios are possible. it could become a particularly bargaining chip for the Kremlin and become a hostage for Vladimir Putin, even though the latter has been caught up in US-NATO relations since his invasion. Ukrainian land. “The detention of a high-profile American could give Russia leverage in its political and economic standoff with Washington over its invasion of Ukraine,” two journalists said in unison. New York Times. As for rumors of a possible prisoner exchange, some are already talking about the release of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years on American soil in 2012.
Source: Le Figaro
