WNBA star Brittney Griner arrested in Russia for cannabis oil
Why are we only finding out about this now?
Basketball star Brittney Griner, the WNBA champion and Olympic gold medalist, has been held in Russia for days if not weeks after customs officials in Moscow allegedly found cannabis vape cartridges in her luggage.
The timing of Griner’s arrest is unclear. Customs officials released security footage of a 6ft 9 person who appeared to be Griner going through security in Moscow’s Sheremtyevo in February, but did not identify her by name or give an exact date of her detention.
Griner has a well-documented history of traveling to Russia to work during the WNBA’s offseason. Many WNBA players supplement their income by playing for foreign teams during the winter. In recent years, Griner has played for Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Women’s EuroLeague.
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Her imprisonment underscores not only escalating tensions in Europe, but also the alarming trend that American athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson are facing major international consequences for engaging in cannabis — even if cannabis legalization in the United States advances , Canada, Mexico and many other spreading nations.
The Russian government has reportedly launched a criminal case against the seven-time WNBA All-Star under national laws that prohibit possession of recreational or medicinal cannabis. In Russia, the hash vape cartridges allegedly found in Griner’s luggage for just two grams could face a 10-year prison sentence.
What will become of Brittney Griner?
The Phoenix Mercury, Griner’s WNBA team, issued a statement on Instagram Saturday, March 5, confirming Griner’s incarceration. But the question that needs to be asked is obvious: How could this news have remained silent for so long?
Griner is one of the biggest stars of the WNBA. Headlines about Russia have dominated global news for weeks. Unfortunately, Griner was dragged into a global chess game for trying to pursue her basketball dreams and earning a wage to match her talent.
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No WNBA player, let alone one of the league’s biggest stars, should have to work overtime abroad to supplement their paycheck at home. Perhaps American sweethearts like Griner wouldn’t feel the need to travel to Russia at such a tenuous time in history if these women in the NBA could receive wage parity commensurate with their male counterparts.
Her vulnerability as an openly queer Black American trapped in a hostile Russian state should worry every American. She certainly faced anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ sentiment abroad and at home long before Russia attacked Ukraine. But the dangerous circumstances of war and geopolitics further complicate an already stressful reality. That’s living in a world where a no-harm plant can land a black woman behind bars just for trying to excel at her craft and career.
Janessa Bailey
Born and raised in the Midwest, Janessa serves as the current culture editor of Leafly. She has a background in content, activism and African American Studies.
Janessa is the creator of Lumen and Seeds of Change.
Check out Janessa Bailey’s articles
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