The 2022 WNBA season is set to kick off in a few months, but it seems Brittney Griner may be joining a little later, as news surfaced saying she was arrested in Russia after hashish oil cartridges were found in her luggage.
The incident went down over three weeks ago and found Griner being detained and arrested at the Sheremetyevo International Airport, which is adjacent to Moscow. The New York Times noted cannabis is illegal in Russia and that hashish usually has cannabis concentrate in it.
Griner reportedly played for a Russian team in the WNBA offseason for the last few years, which is why she was in the country. Since cannabis is illegal in Russia, Griner is facing 5 to 10 years in prison. Lindsay Colas, an agent for Griner, went on to say, “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. 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.”
The WNBA players union went on to say: “We are aware of the situation in Russia concerning one of our members, Brittney Griner. Our utmost concern is BG's safety and well-being.” Stay tuned for more updates.
source: New York Times
