Russian Customs Service stated Saturday that the cartridges contained oil derived from marijuana. This could lead to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment. The person who was arrested was identified by the customs service as a female player on the U.S. women’s team. However, the date of her arrest is not specified. Russian media reported that Griner was the player, but Lindsay Kagawa Colas her agent did not dispute these reports.
Kagawa Colas stated Saturday that they are aware of Brittney Griner’s situation in Russia. She said she was in close contact with her legal representative in Russia, her family and her teams as well as the NBA and WNBA. “This is an ongoing legal matter so we cannot comment on specific details. However, we can confirm that her mental and physical well-being remain our main concern as we try to get her home.
The State Department issued a “do-not-travel” advisory to Russia on Saturday in response to its invasion of Ukraine. It urged all U.S citizens to leave immediately.
Griner, who plays in the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for the winter, has earned over $1 million per year — more than four times her WNBA salary. Griner last played in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg, on Jan. 29, before the league took a two week break in February for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments.
Over a dozen WNBA players played in Russia and Ukraine this winter. This included Jonquel Jones, league MVP and Courtney Vandersloot, and Allie Quigley from the champion Chicago Sky. Saturday’s confirmation by the WNBA stated that all other players had left both countries, except Griner.
Griner, 31, has won two Olympic gold medals for the U.S.A. She also won a WNBA championship in the Mercury and a national championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star.
The league released a statement saying that it supports Brittney Griner and that its main priority is her safe and speedy return to the United States.
