Arrested at Moscow airport in February 2022 following the discovery of cannabis oil in her luggage, and detained by the Russian authorities since, the American player Brittney Griner will finally find her freedom. The governments of the two countries have reportedly entered into a prisoner exchange, allowing the WNBA star to be repatriated.
Free, finally…
We had to wait ten months but this time it’s the right one, Brittney Griner will be able to find American soil and her relatives. Tried for possession of cannabis, the famous player was sentenced last August to nine and a half years in prison, accompanied by a fine of one million rubles. Since then, the question kept coming up repeatedly: would President Joe Biden succeed in negotiating with Russia to obtain the return of the player to the United States? Negotiations obviously made difficult by the liabilities between the two countries and the crisis of the war in Ukraine, which has added fuel to a fire that did not need to be fanned. For those who want to know a little more about the ins and outs of this file, you can refer to the paper produced last May by us.
Obviously, on the side of her relatives and the main actors of the WNBA, starting with her teammates from Phoenix, the mobilization was complete to demand the release of the player. Several NBA stars like Stephen Curry and LeBron James (among others) have also spoken out to call for negotiations and Griner’s speedy release. A petition with more than 400,000 signatures and many calls on social networks also took place, including the creation of a hashtag “We are BG”. On November 9, under great pressure from public opinion, President Biden recalled his determination to have her released and brought back to the country. A month later, the POTUS seems to have fulfilled its mission. According NBC SportsRussia and the United States have just concluded an exchange of prisoners, the United States having accepted the release of Viktor Bout, a Russian arms trafficker in exchange for the return of Brittney Griner.
BREAKING: WNBA star Brittney Griner has been freed from Russia in a prisoner swap for an arms dealer. https://t.co/pYGmO4El8U
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 8, 2022
Information validated by the White House tenant’s Twitter account, which confirms having spoken with Griner and that she is currently on the plane returning to the United States. A great relief for his loved ones after many months of waiting and fear.
Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022
Almost ten months after her arrest in Russia, Brittney Griner is a free woman again. The end of a long ordeal for the player, who will finally be able to find her family and resume the course of her life.
Source texte : NBC Sports / @POTUS