WNBA star Brittney Griner was dealt a harsh punishment by the Russian judicial system.
Griner was arrested at an airport in Moscow on Feb. 17 after having vape cartridges and cannabis oil in her luggage. She was in the country to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian women’s basketball team.
The 31-year-old basketball star was charged with drug possession and smuggling, and she now faces close to the highest punishment. Griner has been sentenced to nine years in prison, just one year shy of the max sentence for the allegations brought upon her.
Griner’s best hope to have her time in prison cut short will involve a prison swap, an idea U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken already has proposed.
Until then, Griner will be forced to sit tight and hope the United States can find a way to bring her home.
