Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner arrested in Russia on drug charges
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Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner has reportedly been detained in Russia after customs officials found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.
The Russian Customs Service said in a statement that the player had won two Olympic gold medals with the United States, but it did not release the player’s name.
Russian media reported the player was Griner, and her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, did not dispute those reports.
“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 Saturday. “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.”
According to the statement, a criminal case has been opened into the large-scale transportation of drugs, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison in Russia.
The Phoenix Mercury released a brief statement on Saturday morning:
“We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and NBA. We love and support Brittney, and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.”
Many WNBA players compete in Russia during the American league’s off-season, which Griner has done for several years.
Griner has played in Russia for the last seven years in the winter, earning over $1 million per season — more than quadruple her WNBA salary. She last played for her Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg on Jan. 29 before the league took a two-week break in early February for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments.
On Saturday, the State Department issued a “do not travel” advisory for Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine and urged all U.S. citizens to depart immediately, citing factors including “the potential for harassment against U.S. citizens by Russian government security officials” and “the Embassy’s limited ability to assist” Americans in Russia.
