Russian TV releases first photo of Brittney Griner after arrest
Russian state TV released a photograph of Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner over the weekend, marking the first time she has been seen since she was arrested at a Russian airport last month, according to CNN.
Griner was seen standing against a wall at a police station holding a piece of white paper with her name on it. It’s unclear when the photo was taken.
Russian state TV has released a photo of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested on drug charges in the country after Russian officials say cannabis oil was found in her luggage. CNN's @RosaFlores has the story. pic.twitter.com/SzB9MSSQfY
— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2022
Griner was arrested last month at a Moscow airport after authorities allegedly found vape cartridges with hashish oil in her bags. It’s unclear when she was actually arrested, though it could have been as long as a month ago. There are concerns she could be used as a “high-profile hostage,” a former Pentagon official told Yahoo Sports.
If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison in Russia.
Griner, 31, is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. She also plays for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian Premier League, as countless other WNBA players play overseas each offseason.
“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,” Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, said on Saturday in a statement. “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.”