The fate of WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner remains unknown following her arrest and detainment by Russia’s Federal Customs Service for allegedly having cannabis oil cartridges in her luggage.
And though the customs service did not disclose when the 31-year-old American was arrested in their announcement of her detainment on Saturday, news sources in Russia said she has been held for three weeks now, according to New York Post. Over the weekend, Russian state TV released an undated mugshot of the Phoenix Mercury star, CNN reported.
The photo in question shows Griner standing in front of a wall and holding a sheet of paper that reportedly appears to have her name written on it. The image was reportedly captured at a police station in Moscow after her arrest at the airport.
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Russian state TV has released a photo of WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was arrested on drug charges in the country after Russian officials say cannabis oil was found in her luggage. CNN’s @RosaFlores has the story. pic.twitter.com/SzB9MSSQfY
— CNN (@CNN) March 8, 2022
“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,” Griner’s agent, Lindsay Kagawa, said on 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.”
Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if the Russian justice system finds her guilty of the drug smuggling charge that has been brought against her.
Since 2015, the two-time Olympic champion has been playing for the Russian women’s basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason. The 31-year-old was also part of other WNBA stars who were set to feature for teams in Russia as well as Ukraine over the course of the winter season, New York Post reported.
But following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the WNBA on Saturday announced those players – in exception of Griner – had departed those countries.
