We should all be yelling “Free Brittney Griner!” right now. And maybe we should have been yelling it this whole time. williamfleitch writes
Photo: Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images Two months ago, I wrote a piece about WNBA star Brittney Griner that garnered a lot of attention in a way that ended up making me uncomfortable. The article examined the circumstances of Griner’s arrest at the hands of Russian authorities, who claim to have found hashish oil in her carry-on bag.
Both points of view were understandable, but I ultimately sided with the latter: What mattered most was getting Griner home safe, and, lacking any information from inside the Russian government, it seemed best to err on the side of caution. I haven’t written about the case since. It appeared most of the sports media took a similar approach. For weeks there was little mention of Griner on ESPN and WNBA.com or in most sports publications.
Yet another ominous sign is the way TASS described Griner as having been jailed “over suspicions of drug smuggling.” The original accusation — still not proven or even substantiated — involved a small amount of hashish oil. If Griner did bring this into the country, it was a poor decision, especially given the geopolitical circumstances, but one that has put her in much hotter water than the offense warrants. Now the charge appears to have been elevated to “trafficking.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Listen now: Brittney Griner case and the dangers of traveling with marijuana🎧 Listen now: Brittney Griner's detention in Russia underscores the dangers of traveling with marijuana and related products.
Read more »
Adam Silver Says NBA Working W/ Hostage Negotiators To Bring Brittney Griner HomeNBA commissioner Adam Silver is assisting the WNBA in its efforts to get Brittney Griner home -- revealing on Tuesday he's working with the White House and even hostage negotiators to get her out of custody in Russia.
Read more »
U.S. State Department pushes Russia to see detained basketball star Brittney GrinerThe NBA also weighed in on the matter Tuesday, with Commissioner Adam Silver saying that he is working “side by side” with the WNBA's commissioner to try and bring Griner home.
Read more »
Brittney Griner arrest: State Department suggests Russia may be violating Vienna ConventionArticle 36 of the Vienna Convention requires a country that arrested a foreign national to give the detainee access to their consulate and to give the foreign national the right of consular access.
Read more »
Arizona Rep. Greg Stanton pushes House resolution urging Russia to free Brittney GrinerRep. Greg Stanton introduced a congressional resolution on Wednesday imploring the Russian government to free Phoenix Mercury basketball star Brittney Griner.
Read more »
Brittney Griner Involved In Possible Prisoner Swap With RussiaThe Biden administration is considering a prisoner swap that would free Brittney Griner from detention in Russia in exchange for notorious illegal arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to sources and Russian media.
Read more »