United States basketball and WNBA star Brittney Griner remains trapped in Russia after she was arrested last month regarding drug charges.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, was arrested at Moscow International airport in February after being accused of smuggling hashish oil in her luggage.
The Russian Federal Customs Services released a statement claiming that officials detained Griner for possession of vape cartridges that contained the cannabis oil.
It also released a video that showed airport security workers searching the luggage of a passenger, who was later identified as Griner.
The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison in Russia, making her situation extremely serious.
Information on the matter is alarmingly scarce, with the exact date of her arrest nor her current location known. However, Russia state media did release a photo of the 31-year-old holding a sign up although the image is too blurry to read.
Griner had been in Russia playing in the WNBA off-season for UMMC Ekaterinburg, who she has competed for since 2014. She was reportedly earning £1.1 million for her performances - around six times her salary with the Phoenix Mercury.
It is reported that the Biden administration is aware of the situation and are working to release Griner and have her return home to the States.
This sentiment was echoed by the WNBA, who said in a statement that Griner ‘has the WNBA’s full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States'.
On Monday, ESPN's T.J. Quinn suggested the star is in some trouble, noting that as a 6'9" black gay American woman, 'she's a powerful cultural symbol'.
Quinn also warned that, even in a best case scenario, Griner could face a long legal battle in the Russian criminal justice system with little help from the US government.
Griner’s wife, Cherelle, wrote on Instagram on Monday: “We love you babe! People say ‘stay busy.’ Yet, there’s not a task in this world that could keep any of us from worrying about you.
“My heart, our hearts, are all skipping beats everyday that goes by. I miss your voice. I miss your presence. You’re our person! There are no words to express this pain.
“I’m hurting, we’re hurting. We await the day to love on you as a family.”
Griner has played professional basketball in Russia for the last seven years and she played for UMMC Ekaterinburg on January 29 before the league had a two-week break in early February.
Over a dozen WNBA players have played in Russia and Ukraine this winter, and the WNBA confirmed that all players besides Griner had left both countries.
News of her detainment comes as the US placed sanctions on Russia after president Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine last month.
