Russia extends the detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner as she keeps her head down in rare court appearance
Advertisement
Rebecca Cohen,Meredith Cash
May 13, 2022, 21:54 IST
WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner leaves a courtroom after a hearing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 13, 2022.AP
Alexander Boykov told the news service that he believes the WNBA star's case will go to trial soon, given the "relatively short" length of this extension.
At her hearing Friday, Griner appeared in a red hoodie pulled over her dreadlocks. She kept her head down the entire time, photos show.
The seven-time WNBA All-Star has been held in Russian custody for three months. She was initially arrested for purportedly carrying vape cartridges in her luggage at a Moscow airport. Her charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, but investigations into her case are still underway in Russia.
Earlier in May, the US government announced a shift in Griner's classification status, deeming the two-time Olympic gold medalist "wrongfully detained" in Russia. The shift signals the Biden administration will increase efforts to negotiate for Griner's release rather than waiting for her case to make its way through the Russian judicial system.
Advertisement
An expert who has navigated several hostage situations — whose identity is known to Insider but asked to remain anonymous out of respect for Griner's ongoing negotiations — previously told Insider that the change in designation is a "strong signal that the US government does not believe that there is a legitimate case against her."
"Oftentimes it's US policy not to get involved in these cases when an American is charged with a common crime," the expert said. "Knowing that, the fact that they've designated her is unusual and a hugely positive sign, not only for Brittney but for so many other cases that are waiting for designation."
The source was also encouraged to see Bill Richardson, a key figure who has long worked privately in hostage negotiations, has joined efforts to bring Griner stateside. ESPN reported that the former US ambassador to the United Nations agreed to assist Griner's team last week.
"Most families work with Richardson in this situation because he's really the only person out of government that has the ability to have discussions with the hostage taker," the person said. "We had him work on Trevor [Reed's] case. I brought him into all of my cases that I've done. Every one."
This year, she'll earn a league-maximum $227,900 annual base salary from the Mercury, though she and other WNBA stars are eligible to make more between bonuses and marketing opportunities should they stay in the US for the winter. With UMMC Ekaterinburg, however, Griner made a whopping $1 million per season, according to The Arizona Republic's Jeff Metcalfe.
Griner's arrest and subsequent detention has rocked the entire WNBA community. But nowhere has her absence been more pronounced than in Phoenix, where the Texas native has made as much of an impact on the community as she's had on the court.
"That's my sister," Mercury teammate Skylar Diggins-Smith said. "I love her. It's toughest for people like me. Not toughest — it's toughest on her family — but I love her.
"I think about her every day, and I can't wait until she gets back here with us."
{{}}
NewsletterSIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Sign up for a weekly brief collating many news items into one untangled thought delivered straight to your mailbox.