Who is the American basketball player detained in Russia and why so little is known about her case

Amid the invasion of Ukraine and international condemnation of the actions of the Vladimir Putin regime, a new case puts more strain on the relationship between the United States and Russia: the arrest of basketball player Brittney Griner.

Griner is WNBA member, the women’s basketball league in the United States. She plays for phoenixmercury, the team from Arizona, where she has stood out as the player with the second place in points made during games and the main blocker. Despite her prolific sports career, Griner’s arrest in Russia remains a great nebula in the United States.

It is presumed that she was arrested on February 17, but the date may not be correct. As could be seen on the security cameras at the Moscow airport, Griner was trying to enter the country when the authorities began to search his suitcase. The player was allegedly in possession of an electronic cigarette whose load contained hashish oil, a derivative of cannabis, considered illegal in Russia.

Since then, US consular authorities have not had access to her.despite the fact that they have just confirmed that they receive regular reports on their situation. Under Russian law, a detainee can spend between 12 and 18 months before going to trial. Once the trial is over, if she is found guilty, the penalty for bringing illegal drugs into the country could be up to 10 years for the 31-year-old.

The American press has said very little about this arrest. The WNBA has only issued a brief statement in which they do not give any details.

“We are aware of the situation in Russia with one of our organization members, Brittney Griner. Our greatest concern is the safety and well-being of BG. We send you our love and support. We will continue to monitor your situation pending your return to the United States.”, they indicate in the statement.

Until today, no one had made any other official statement about it. But in the morning hours the state department issued its first statement on the matter with a specific request to the russian government.

“We urge the Russian government to give us consular access to all US citizens detained in Russia, including those in pre-trial, such as Brittney Griner.”.

It is speculated that the strategy of maintaining a low profile in the case is due to the fact that if the entire country is aware of this arrest, Brittney Griner would become an important political negotiating card. Perhaps that is why her family has not appeared in the media either, although those close to the athlete have highlighted that they know that she is in good condition.

The fear is that while the rule of law is supposed to exist in Russia, where the laws are enforced, at this point it is clear that if Putin wants to break the laws, he can do so. And if Griner becomes even more valuable to the United States, Putin could further complicate the young detainee’s legal situation.

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