US athlete Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years behind bars in Russia for drug smuggling

A court in Russia’s Khimki has sentenced US basketball player Brittney Griner to nine years in prison. She was found guilty of drug smuggling, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reports from court.

She was also issued a million-ruble (€15,900) fine. Earlier, the prosecution asked the court to sentence Griner to 9.5 years behind bars. The prosecutors maintained that the athlete’s guilt had been proven in court.

Griner was detained on 17 February at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport, after a vape pen with marijuana oils was allegedly found in her luggage. The athlete pled guilty during a court hearing on 7 July.

Earlier, the White House offered the Kremlin to exchange Griner and another US citizen Paul Whelan, convicted in Russia for espionage, for Russian national Viktor Bout, who is serving a jail sentence in the US on arms trafficking charges.

On 5 July, Griner addressed US President Joe Biden in a letter asking him to do all he can to bring her home. The White House later stated that Biden had read the letter, but did not announce his steps regarding Griner. The US government maintains that Griner was unlawfully detained.

Brittney Griner is a WNBA athlete. She has won gold at the Olympics twice, playing for the US national team.