The Russian justice decided on Thursday (03.18.022) to extend until May 19 the arrest of the American basketball star Brittney Griner, arrested in February at the Moscow airport and suspected of transporting narcotics, according to Russian state media.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and champion of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), was detained with “vaping material and a liquid that had a particular odor,” the Russian federal customs service said in a statement.
The Khimki court, on the outskirts of Moscow, rejected the arguments of the player’s lawyers, who sought to demonstrate the illegal and excessively severe nature of her arrest, reports the government press agency Ria Novosti.
“However, they have not responded globally to the accusation of drug trafficking,” adds the agency.
Between 5 and 10 years in prison
After Griner’s arrest, which occurred against a background of international tensions linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States basketball federation “USA Basketball” had shown its “concern” about the “security” and “well-being ” of the player, who is exposed to a sentence of between 5 and 10 years in prison.
Her club, the Phoenix Mercury, and the American Professional Players Union (WNBPA) said they were “informed” of Brittney Griner’s situation.
Griner, 31 years old and 2.06 meters tall, was active in helping Phoenix win their third WNBA title in 2014. Numerous WNBA players participate in European leagues when there is no championship in the United States, and some of they do it in Russia and Ukraine.
The center has also played for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA’s breaks since 2015, helping the club to three Russian national titles and EuroLeague Women’s championships in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.
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American basketball player Brittney Griner will continue to be detained in Russia | D.W. | 03.18.2022