US classifies Brittney Griner as ‘wrongly imprisoned’ |

The United States government now believes that women’s basketball star Brittney Griner was “wrongly detained” by Russia, ESPN reported Tuesday.

Citing “sources familiar with her case,” ESPN noted that the new US naming “represents a significant shift in how officials will attempt to bring her home.”

As a result of the postponement, the US and Griner’s supporters are likely to be more proactive and public in their efforts to secure their freedom.

The change “means that the U.S. government will no longer wait for Griner’s case to be played out in the Russian legal system and will attempt to negotiate her return,” according to ESPN, and that “Griner’s fellow players and supporters of the WNBA in Congress.” They have the blessing of the family to bring as much attention to their case as they wish.”

A State Department official confirmed the postponement in a statement to ESPN: “The State Department has determined that the Russian Federation wrongfully arrested U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. With that determination, the President’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, will lead the interagency team to ensure the release of Brittney Griner.”

Griner, a six-foot-tall WNBA champion and one of the most decorated athletes of her generation, has been jailed in Russia since February 17 when she was arrested on drug charges at a Moscow airport after allegedly carrying cannabis vape cartridges. The charge carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years.

The Russian Federal Customs Service announced the arrest in early March, weeks after the arrest. In the announcement, the agency did not name Griner, describing her only as an American basketball player who has won two Olympic gold medals. The announcement also came with video showing a woman matching Griner’s physical description walking through airport security.

In mid-March, Russian authorities extended Griner’s detention by at least two more months, until May 19.

“Brittney has been incarcerated for 75 days and we expect the White House to do whatever is necessary to bring her home,” Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas said in a statement to ESPN on Tuesday.

ESPN provided some additional details on their detention in its Tuesday report, reporting that a “source close to Griner also confirmed on Monday that former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, who has privately worked for years as an international hostage negotiator agreed to work on Griner’s case last week.”

“The officer said that does not mean Griner is considered a hostage, which is another legal definition of an unlawful detainee. Sources close to Griner said they were not told why she was reclassified, but were informed Saturday morning that her case was being referred to the special envoy’s office,” ESPN reported. “Until last weekend, her case was being processed by the consular office, which oversees the cases of Americans held abroad, without necessarily intervening. State Department officials notified relevant congressional committees of the change Monday.”

The change in designation follows the release of former US Marine Trevor Reed from a Russian prison last week.

Reed, who had been detained there since 2019, was released as part of a prisoner swap for a Russian national held in the US

According to ESPN, “Griner’s team grew optimistic about their fate last week” following Reed’s release, which was also brokered by Richardon.

On Tuesday, the WNBA announced plans to feature Griner’s initials and jersey number 42 on every court this season. The season ends on May 6th.

“As the 2022 season begins, we keep Brittney at the forefront of what we do through the basketball game and in the community,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “We continue to work to bring Brittney home and are grateful for the support the community has shown to BG and her family during this exceptionally challenging time.”