US consular official finally allowed access to detained WNBA star Brittney Griner in Russia
A US official has met with WNBA star Brittney Griner for the second time since her initial detainment in Russia. In February, the American basketball star was detained after she was accused of carrying hashish oil in her luggage.
However, the news wasn’t released by the Russian Federal Customs Service until three weeks after Griner’s arrest. “As a US citizen was passing through the green channel at Sheremetyevo Airport upon arriving from New York, a working dog from the Sheremetyevo Customs canine department detected the possible presence of narcotic substances in the accompanying luggage,” customs officials said.
Since the release of their statement, US officials have been barred from seeing Griner due to Russian authorities deeming the communication as “unacceptable.” However, during Griner’s 13 May recent pre-trial court appearance – which extended her detainment by one month – a consular officer was finally given access to the beloved athlete for a few moments.
During a press conference in Washington D.C., State Department spokesman Ned Price said that Griner is “doing as well as can be expected under what can only be described as exceedingly difficult circumstances.” According to a new report from ESPN, the young athlete met with another consular officer on 19 May.
