WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia last month at a Moscow airport after e-cigarette cartridges were found during a search of her luggage.
Russian customs officials said on Saturday that the cartridges were identified as containing cannabis-derived oil, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The customs service identified the detainee as a US women’s team player and did not specify the date of her arrest.
Russian media reported that Griner was the player and her agent did not dispute these reports.
“We are aware of the situation with Britney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representative in Russia, her family, her teams, as well as the WNBA and NBA,” Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Kolas said Saturday. “Because this is an ongoing legal matter, we cannot comment on the details of her case, but we can confirm that while we work to bring her home, her mental and physical health remains our top concern.”
No. 42 Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury during a game against the Indiana Fever at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum on September 6, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images
On Saturday, the State Department issued a “no travel” advisory for Russia due to its incursion into Ukraine and urged all U.S. citizens to leave the country immediately, citing factors such as “the possibility of U.S. citizens being harassed by Russian security officials” and “limited opportunities American Relief Embassies in Russia.
Griner, who plays for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, has been playing in Russia for the past seven years during the winter, earning more than $1 million a season, more than four times her WNBA salary. She last played for her Russian team UMMC-Ekaterinburg on January 29, and in early February the league took a two-week break for the qualifying tournaments for the FIBA World Championship.
Griner, 31, has won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, a WNBA championship with the Mercury, and a national championship with Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star.
“Britney Griner has the full support of the WNBA and our top priority is her quick and safe return to the United States,” the league said in a statement.