HOUSTON, TX (KTRK) — WNBA star Britney Greener was arrested last month at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said vape cartridges were found during a search of her luggage, and now her biggest fans are backing her comeback.
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 Lindsey Kagawa Kolas did not dispute the reports.
Griner’s former high school coach, Debbie Jackson, struggles to make sense of the news. ABC13’s Nick Natario spoke to Jackson, who was emotional and teary-eyed as she recounted the situation.
“Knowing Britney, I can say that she is a wonderful person. She has been playing abroad for many years. She has been playing in Russia for many years. She is not stupid. You just don’t know what to believe. What is true and what is false,” Jackson said.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is demanding Griner’s release and has asked the State Department to intervene.
“I don’t want to ignore a sovereign nation, but Putin has ignored sovereign nations throughout his service in this world. Anyone who kills, attacks, and destroys Ukraine that doesn’t bother them has no right to hold Ms. Griner, period,” Lee said.
On Saturday, Russian authorities released CCTV footage showing Griner at the airport with the agent rummaging through her bag. There is no date when this happened. However, Li said that this happened within the last month.
“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 Kagawa Kolas said on 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.”
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-Yekaterinburg on January 29, after which the league took a two-week break in early February for qualifying tournaments for the FIBA World Championship.
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More than a dozen WNBA players have played in Russia and Ukraine this winter, including league MVP Jonkel Jones, Courtney Vandersloot and champion Chicago Sky’s Ellie Quigley. On Saturday, the WNBA confirmed that all players except Greener have left both countries.
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.
The Phoenix Mercury released a statement regarding her detention:
“We are aware of and closely monitoring the situation with Britney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and the NBA. We love and support Britney and our primary concern at this time is her safety, physical and mental health and her safe return home.”
Griner is a native of Houston. She attended Nimitz High School and played basketball under coach Debbie Jackson in 2007.
ABC13 has contacted the league and is waiting for more information.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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