A twist in the affair Brittney Griner as Foreign Minister Antony Blinken has offered Russia a prisoner exchange to release the player, he needs to discuss this with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The chief of US diplomacy spoke of a “substantive proposal” issued “a few weeks ago” to release Griner, but also Paul Whelan, a former soldier who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for “espionage” in 2020 .
As a bargaining chip, the US would be willing to send back to Russia Viktor Bout, the Russian arms dealer who inspired the Lord of War film and who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the US. The Russian side claims that Sergei Lavrov did not plan to meet Antony Blinken…
A few hours before the announcement, Brittney Griner was questioned again in a Russian court where she is on trial on drug trafficking charges that could earn her up to 10 years in prison. The WNBA star is accused of entering Russian territory with canisters of cannabis oil. If the player decided to plead guilty, she assures that she had no intention of taking them to Russia.
Suitcase packed too quickly?
“I plead guilty to the acts committed, but again, I had no intention of smuggling or importing any substances into Russia,” she said. “If I had to speculate and guess how they ended up in my luggage, I would say I was in a hurry to pack my bags. I was just recovering from Covid, there was stress with packing and making sure I had my COVID tests. Jet lag. »
Incidentally, Brittney Griner explains that her medicinal cannabis was prescribed in the United States to treat chronic injuries during the offseason, a treatment that’s becoming increasingly common in countries where the substance is legal. However, it remains illegal in Russia. “The benefits of medicinal cannabis clearly outweigh the pain medications they prescribe,” said Brittney Griner.
The player also changed her speech to the Russian judiciary and is now complaining about the conditions of her arrest. “My rights were never read to me,” she says. “No one explained anything to me. At this point I took out my phone and contacted my partner, my agent and the team interpreter. At the airport, an interpreter gave me a note and just said, “Last name. Sign.’ She did not explain the contents of the paper. I didn’t know exactly what I was signing.
According to ESPN, the next hearing is scheduled for August 2 and the verdict will be announced on August 5.