It's time to talk about Brittney Griner, a former WNBA star who pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges. She was arrested in Russia in 2016 and later sentenced to nine years in prison. Griner was a high school basketball star who led the United States women to the Rio Olympics in 2016. Her recent conviction is an unfortunate twist in the Griner story, but she has made a good decision and has already begun her prison sentence.
WNBA star brittney griner pleaded guilty to drug smuggling
The WNBA star, who was arrested in February, pleaded guilty to drug smuggling. She was sentenced to three-years in prison, and she will spend the rest of her sentence at a Russian correctional facility. Griner admitted that she was involved with smuggling drugs but said she didn't intend to break the law.
She was held in Russia in 2016
Griner, despite her international fame and notoriety, has not been silenced. Griner's supporters called for her release but her husband and her team remained silent. In a statement they stated they don't have "political information" regarding Griner’s arrest. Russian officials have a very strict anti-drug culture. Griner was arrested, which has made her very embarrassed, and the WNBA didn't do anything to support her.
She led the United States women’s basketball team to victory at Rio Olympics.
Griner is only 19 years old, but she has already won numerous gold medals. She was part the USA women's basketball squad in Rio de Janeiro. They beat Spain 101 to 72 in the gold-medal game. In 2011, she also won a gold medal in the FIBA World Cup. She has received numerous international and national honors since, including the All-Tournament Team award and the Most Valuable Player award in the Gold Medal Game.
She was sentenced at the age of nine to prison
Griner was declared "wrongfully detained" by the U.S. government, and it is now working to return her. Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson has been assigned to help. Richardson is an experienced hostage negotiator and will immediately start working to bring Griner home. Griner was taken into the custody of a consular official on May 19, and that officer reported that Griner was doing well in difficult circumstances. The State Department is now seeking more access to Griner to ensure that she is treated with the respect she deserves and that her rights are respected.
Her fate now depends on diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Russia
Griner is still being held as of Thursday while her family attempts to arrange an exchange. Since June, diplomatic negotiations between Russia's and the U.S. are ongoing. The Russian legal action against Griner is considered irrelevant domestically, but is not likely to stop her from seeking a presidential pardon. In the meantime, Griner's fate is largely in the hands of the Russian government.