Sports
Brittney Griner arrest: Basketball legend Lisa Leslie claims players were told not to ‘make a big fuss’
NEWNow you can take heed to Fox Information articles!
Basketball legend Lisa Leslie has Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia on her thoughts.
Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport for allegedly possessing vape cartridges containing oils derived from hashish. The Phoenix Mercury star was detained and has been held ever since whereas first experiences of her arrest didn’t come to mild till earlier month – days after Russia started its invasion of Ukraine.
Head Coach Lisa Leslie of Staff WNBA smiles in the course of the ATT WNBA All-Star Recreation 2021 on July 14, 2021 at Michelob ULTRA Area in Las Vegas, Nevada.
(Jeff Bottari/NBAE through Getty Pictures)
Leslie, who performed for the Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 to 2009, appeared on the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast sand advised sports activities stars Brandon Marshall, Chad OchoCino and Chantel Tremitiere that WNBA gamers had been advised to not make a “huge fuss” in regards to the arrest.
“So, what we had been advised, and once more, that is all form of handed alongside by way of rumour. What we had been advised was to not make an enormous fuss about it so they may not use her as a pawn, so to talk, on this scenario within the warfare. So to make it prefer it’s not that necessary, or do not make it like ‘Free Brittney’ and we begin this marketing campaign and it turns into one thing they’ll use,” Leslie mentioned.
Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury arrives together with her gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics earlier than the sport towards the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 15, 2021 at Footprint Middle in Phoenix, Arizona.
(Barry Gossage/NBAE through Getty Pictures)
BRITTNEY GRINER ARREST: EX-PENTAGON OFFICIAL QUESTIONS VALIDITY OF ACCUSATIONS
“That is what we had been advised. And I do not wish to say who advised us. I do not wish to say who mentioned that, but it surely’s been form of spreading by way of the ladies’s basketball world.”
Leslie defined she was fearful of what is taking place to Griner whereas she’s over in Russia.
U.S. State Division spokesperson Ned Worth mentioned on Wednesday that an official from the U.S. Embassy was in a position to see Griner not too long ago and he or she was mentioned to be “in good situation.” The Russian authorities allowed the U.S. to present consular entry to Griner weeks after her arrest was reported.
Brittney Griner of USA in the course of the Girls’s Semifinal Basketball recreation between United States and Serbia on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video games on Aug. 6, 2021 in Saitama, Japan
(Jean Catuffe/Getty Pictures)
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert advised Insider the league was in touch with Griner’s agent and household every day.
“We’re in every day contact together with her agent, her household, her authorized illustration. So it is all people coordinating on this and clearly we do not wish to do or say something that’s going to jeopardize her security,” Engelbert mentioned.
Meadowlark Media’s Kate Fagan additionally supplied context on March 5 about why Griner’s arrest wasn’t made public immediately.
Griner may withstand 10 years in a Russian jail if convicted.
Her detention was prolonged till Could 19, in accordance with Russian media.