Her fate moves the (sports) world: Brittney Griner has been in Russian custody since February. She is being tried for illegal drug possession. The American basketball player does not deny having had hash oil on her. But she has an explanation for it.
US basketball player Brittney Griner, who has been arrested in Russia, has defended herself in a criminal case for a drug offense in a court near Moscow. According to a report by the Russian news agency Interfax, she used medical marijuana in consultation with her doctor as an analgesic, she said in front of the court in Khimki, Moscow region. This is standard practice in the United States. “I had no intention of violating any law of the Russian Federation,” the agency quoted her as saying.
At the same time, Griner admitted again that he had the drugs with him. The 31-year-old had already admitted her guilt in early July. She had stated that she did not intend to commit a crime but acted in great haste while packing in the United States for her return to Russia. She packed the drugs without intention. She repeated this representation. The process began in July.
Griner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on February 17. When she was arrested, she seemed dazed because of the long journey and having survived a corona infection. She had no intention of having anything forbidden in her luggage, but she was responsible for it. At the same time, she made it clear that she had not used marijuana in the season games because she was aware that it was forbidden – and that not only she but her team could have been disqualified.
Since 2015, Griner has played at UMMC Yekaterinburg in the Urals. She won the Euroleague four times with the club. Griner has been in custody for several months, which was last extended until December 20th. The Olympic champion is accused of possession of drugs. She faces up to ten years in prison if convicted. Griner also sent a letter to US President Joe Biden asking for help. Washington criticizes that Griner is wrongly detained. Moscow, on the other hand, rejects the accusation that the trial against Griner was politically motivated. Griner is said to have had vape cartridges and hash oil with her when her luggage was checked in February. It is said to have been 0.5 grams.
The United States says it has made an offer to secure the release of Griner and American citizen Paul Whelan. “In the coming days, I expect to speak to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov for the first time since the war began,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference in Washington. “The release of the Americans Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner must be achieved and they must be allowed to come home. We put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate the release,” said Blinken. He gave no details of the offer.
Paul Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in prison by a Russian court in 2020 for alleged spying for the United States. The former US Marine last year applied to be transferred to his home country to serve out the remainder of his sentence. He was arrested in a Moscow hotel at the end of December 2018. He called the allegations against him a “joke”.