Brittney Griner Said to Be ‘OK’ as Russian Court Extends Her Detention

A Russian courtroom prolonged the detention of the W.N.B.A. star Brittney Griner by two months on Thursday, and denied an enchantment from her authorized workforce, who had hoped to have her transferred to deal with arrest.

Griner, 31, has been held in Russia since mid-February on drug prices that would carry a sentence of as much as 10 years if she is convicted. Griner is “OK” and has seen her Russian authorized workforce a number of instances per week whereas she has been in custody, in line with an individual with data of the state of affairs who requested to not be recognized publicly due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The Russian Federal Customs Service stated on March 5 that its officers had detained an American basketball participant, who was later recognized as Griner. Customs officers accused Griner of getting vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her baggage on the Sheremetyevo airport close to Moscow.

On Thursday, the Russian information company Tass reported that Griner’s detention had been prolonged to Could 19 throughout a listening to. Griner’s authorized workforce in Russia had hoped to have her transferred to deal with arrest on the listening to, however weren’t shocked that the enchantment of her detention was denied, in line with the individual with data of the state of affairs.

The investigation into the costs is ongoing, and it’s typical for a Russian courtroom so as to add time to the detention till a trial date — if one is important — is ready, in line with the individual. Thursday’s listening to didn’t take care of the benefit of the costs, the individual stated.

The W.N.B.A. season begins Could 6. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a seven-time All Star for the Phoenix Mercury, is among the recreation’s most distinguished stars.

She is being held at a time of more and more tense relations between america and Russia after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final month. U.S. officers have repeatedly accused Russia of detaining and sentencing Americans for doubtful causes.

The continued detention of a high-profile American may even be an effort by Russia to achieve leverage within the political and financial standoff with Washington over the invasion, consultants say.

Tass reported that Griner had not been visited by U.S. consular officers, regardless of Russia’s willingness to facilitate a gathering. However final week, Consultant Colin Allred, Democrat of Texas, instructed The New York Occasions that Griner had been denied consular entry by Russian officers.

“It’s already a violation of worldwide norms and the way in which these items are dealt with after they occur to Individuals overseas,” Allred stated final week.

Griner is among the many many W.N.B.A. gamers who compete internationally to complement their American salaries, and he or she has performed for the Russian workforce, UMMC Ekaterinburg, for a number of years.

These near Griner have stated little publicly in regards to the detention because it grew to become broadly identified on March 5, possible hoping to rearrange for her return via quiet diplomacy.

On Wednesday, Hillary Clinton, the previous secretary of state, joined an rising variety of politicians and public figures who’ve proven assist for Griner when she tweeted “Free Brittney” with a hyperlink to a BBC article about Griner.