Brittney Griner is stuck in a dangerous situation.
The Russian Customs Service announced Saturday the USA Basketball and WNBA superstar was arrested last month at an airport in Moscow after authorities allegedly found vape cartridges, which contain oil derived from cannabis, according to The Associated Press. Griner, 31, who had been playing in the Russian Women’s Basketball Premier League for UMMC Yekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason, might face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted on drug charges.
The crisis of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine only compounds the seriousness of Griner’s legal situation.
Griner’s arrest took place weeks ago, but word of it only spread throughout the United States on Saturday. Her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, addressed Griner’s legal trouble in a statement.
“We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA,” Kagawa Colas said, per The AP. “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”
USA Basketball also issued a statement on Griner, who helped Team USA win gold medals at both the Rio Olympics and the Tokyo Olympics.
“USA Basketball is aware of and closely monitoring the legal situation facing Brittney Griner in Russia,” USA Basketball wrote in a tweet. “Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns.”
Griner led the Phoenix Mercury to a WNBA Finals triumph in 2014. The Association also issued a statement, in which it offered her its full backing.
“Brittney Griner has the WNBA’s full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States,” the league said, per The AP.
The Mercury also backed their superstar center in a statement they released.
“… We love and support Brittney, and at this time, our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home,” Phoenix wrote.
Griner was among more than a dozen WNBA players, who were playing in Russia and Ukraine this winter. The WNBA confirmed Saturday all of them, except for Griner, had left the region, according to The AP.
