It was a story that that put a WNBA superstar on the front pages for all the wrong reasons. Now, over two years since it began, she is ready to talk about it.
One of the many WNBA players to supplement their incomes by playing overseas, a two-time Olympic gold medalist had her world cave in on Feb. 17, 2022. It took the better part of a year for the situation to resolve itself.
Clearly shaken by her 10 months in a Russian prison, Phoenix Mercury forward Brittney Griner discussed her ordeal with ABC’s Robin Roberts recently. Griner, who was playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg of the European league, was detained by customs officials at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. Police claimed that she had vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in Russia.
WNBA Star Thought Her “Life is Over”
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Griner, who was detained while returning to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg at the time of her arrest, pleaded guilty to drug charges on July 7, 2022. She testified that she did not intend to break the law, but that the cartridges found in her luggage were there by accident. Griner told Roberts as part of an interview that will air on ABC May 1:
“I was just so scared for everything because there’s so much unknown.”
She told Roberts about realizing that the cartridges were in her luggage as customs agents took notice:
“My life is over right here.”
The United States government quickly became involved in Griner’s situation. In May 2022, they officially classified her case as one of a “wrongfully detained” American and pushed for the Russian government to free her. Many WNBA players rallied for the release of the then-nine-year league veteran. Pressure grew on the administration of president Joe Biden to rescue Griner from captivity.
Griner Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison, Far Away From WNBA
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A Russian court sentenced Griner to nine years in prison. Her appeals rejected, she was transferred to a penal colony in the Mordovia Republic in central Russia. Griner told Roberts that the conditions were intolerable and that there were times that she thought about committing suicide, saying:
“The mattress had a huge blood stain on it. I had no soap, no toilet paper. That was the moment where I just felt less than a human. … I just didn’t think I could get through what I needed to get through.”
However, Griner’s prayers were answered by the end of 2022. On Dec. 8, she was released in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
In the time since her release, Griner returned to the WNBA and earned a ninth All-Star Game nod in 2023. She has also spoken out in support of other Americans being detained in Russia, including Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.
Griner has also written a book, called “Coming Home,” that will describe in detail her travails as an inmate in the Russian prison system. The 33-year-old will also be returning for an 11th WNBA season this May. The Mercury play two preseason games against the Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks before opening the regular-season campaign against the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces on May 14.
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Tom Carothers is a sportswriter with more than 20 years of experience covering sports at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Still longing for the return of his Minnesota North Stars, he has a high pain tolerance as a big fan of the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Browns, and Tottenham Hotspur.
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