Russia Releases Mugshot of WNBA's Brittney Griner — Questions Arise
The 31-year-old has been detained in the country on drug charges — which has been heavily sanctioned by the U.S. and other countries over its invasion of Ukraine — after customs agents at the Sheremetyevo International Airport found vape cartridges containing liquid with hashish oil in February.Russian authorities told CNN that Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The Intelligencer posted an article on Tuesday questioning why Griner’s arrest and detainment in Russia haven’t been more of a news item.Griner has won two Olympic gold medals and is considered one of the best players in WNBA history. “She is the apex of her sport.
She is the best of the best. She is a legend,” the Intelligencer wrote.The outlet asks how one of the greatest athletes in the U.S.
could be detained by a foreign country, one that has been ostracized by the world, and it not be covered until the Russian state news released information about the arrest.“Making equivalences between sports only takes you so far here, but seriously: Imagine if Tom Brady were being held by Russian officials right now,” the outlet wrote.“As Griner sits in detention in Russia, as a result of a system that is set up to devalue her and other stars at every corner, it would be nice if her plight received attention commensurate with its seriousness.”News of Griner's detainment has consistently been released by Russian authorities and the Russian media.
