KHIMKI, Russia – U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted Thursday in Russia of drug possession and sentenced to nine years in prison.
The 31-year-old Griner, with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury listened with a blank expression as an interpreter translated the verdict by Judge Anna Sotnikova. The judge also fined 1 million rubles (about $16,700) fine.
Earlier in the session, with a conviction all but certain, an emotional Griner made a final appeal to the court for leniency. She said she had no intention to break the law by bringing vape cartridges with cannabis oil when she flew to Moscow in February to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg.
“I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my fans and the city of (Yekaterinburg) for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I brought on them,” Griner said, her voice cracking. “I want to also apologize to my parents, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury organization back at home, the amazing women of the WNBA, and my amazing spouse back at home.”
Under Russian law, the 31-year-old Griner faced up to 10 years in prison.
In recent years, Griner has stopped standing on the court for the national anthem, and petitioned the WNBA to stop playing the national anthem before games saying,
“I’m not going to be out there for the national anthem. If the league continues to want to play it, that’s fine,” she added. “It will be all season long, I’ll not be out there. I feel like more are going to probably do the same thing.
Social media on fire after the sentenced was announced with many messages criticizing Biden,
Putin just sentenced Brittney Griner to nine years in Russian jail for her drug trafficking.
Trump wouldn’t have allowed that to happen and she’d be back on American soil even though she hates America.
Biden didn’t lift a finger and let Brittney rot. So much for loving Blacks!
— Lavern Spicer 🇺🇸 (@lavern_spicer) August 4, 2022
Say whatever you want about Donald Trump, but there’s ZERO chance Brittney Griner would have been sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison if he was President.
He had the UCLA basketball players out in a couple days.
This is a humiliating look for the USA.
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) August 4, 2022
President Trump would have had Brittney Griner home by now…
“Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years in Russian drug trial” https://t.co/ALehPLUNNB https://t.co/meSJWlrT1J
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) August 4, 2022
