Brittney Griner is a former WNBA superstar who pleaded guilty drug smuggling. In 2016, Griner was taken into custody in Russia. Griner was a high-school star who led the United States women’s basketball squad to the Rio Olympics in 2016. Griner's recent conviction is a sad twist in her story. However, Griner has made a good decision to begin her prison sentence.
WNBA Star brittney griner pleaded guilty at drug smuggling
The WNBA star, who was arrested in February, pleaded guilty to drug smuggling. She was sentenced to three years in prison and will have to serve the rest of her sentence in a Russian prison. Griner admitted that she was involved with smuggling drugs but said she didn't intend to break the law.
In 2016, she was detained in Russia.
Griner was not silenced by her arrest despite her international celebrity. Griner's supporters called for her release but her husband and her team remained silent. They said that they had no "political understanding" of Griner’s detention. Russian government is known for its harsh anti-drug culture. Nevertheless, Griner's arrest has caused her considerable embarrassment, and the WNBA has done nothing to support her.
She was the leader of the United States women's team basketball to victory at the Rio Olympics
Griner has won multiple gold medals despite being only twenty-one years old. Griner was part of the USA women’s basketball team that beat Spain 101-72 in Rio de Janeiro. She also won a gold medal at the FIBA World Cup in 2011. She has been honored with numerous national and international honors since then.
She was sentenced at the age of nine to prison
The U.S. government has declared Griner a "wrongful detainee" and is working to get her back. Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador at the United Nations, has been designated to assist. Richardson is a skilled hostage negotiator with extensive experience and will immediately work to get Griner back. 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. Griner is being sought by the State Department for more access in order to ensure she is treated with respect and her rights are protected.
Her fate now rests on diplomatic talks between Russia and the U.S.
Griner was detained on Thursday while her family seeks an exchanging. Diplomatic negotiations between Russia and the U.S. have been ongoing since June. Griner's Russian legal action is being ignored domestically but it is not likely that she will be able to seek a presidential pardon. Griner's fate rests largely in Russia's hands.