Russia Arrests, Holds WNBA Star Brittney Griner Over Cannabis Vape

Amidst the mounting conflict between Ukraine and Russia, WBNA star and two-time U.S. Olympic basketball gold medalist Brittney Griner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after being found with hash oil in February 2022, according to the Russian Federal Customs Service.

It’s still not exactly clear where Griner is currently being detained.

“As a U.S. citizen was passing through the green channel at Sheremetyevo Airport upon arriving from New York, a working dog from the Sheremetyevo customs canine department detected the possible presence of narcotic substances in the accompanying luggage,” a statement from the customs service reads. It continues, noting the customs inspection confirmed the presence of vapes with “specifically smelling liquid,” which an expert determined was cannabis oil, a narcotic substance in Russia.

The offense is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Lindsay Kagawa Colas, Griner’s agent, appeared to confirm the report of her arrest in a statement:

“We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams and the WNBA and NBA,” Kagawa Colas says. “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”

Griner was working in Russia during WNBA’s off-season. Many WNBA players travel out-of-country during the off-season because it’s more lucrative than playing in the U.S. Griner is reportedly earning more than $1 million to play for her Russian team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, while in the WNBA, her base salary with the Mercury for the past season was $221,450. Many have pointed out that Griner wouldn’t be in this situation to begin with if women players weren’t subject to this pay disparity and were treated with the same respect as NBA players.

Jemele Hill of The Atlantic says, “Putting aside the criminal allegations against Griner, her case at the very least should create enormous scrutiny around how female athletes are valued in the United States. This is a necessary wake-up call for the WNBA. The league should treat its players better than a team in a hostile country does.”

As concerns mount that Griner could be used as a geopolitical pawn, Representative John Garamendi of California tells CNN that it’s “going to be very difficult” to get Griner out of Russia.

“Our diplomatic relationships with Russia are nonexistent at the moment,” democratic Representative John Garamendi of California told CNN on Monday. “Perhaps during the various negotiations that may take place, she might be able to be one of the solutions. I don’t know.”

He also notes Russia’s “very, very strict” LGBTQ rules and laws, though it’s not clear if they will impact Griner’s case.

Griner’s wife spoke out in an Instagram post, describing the pain of not knowing what’s coming next:

“People say ‘stay busy.’ Yet, there’s not a task in this world that could keep any of us from worrying about you. My heart, our hearts, are all skipping beats everyday that goes by.” Cherelle Griner writes. “There are no words to express this pain. I’m hurting; we’re hurting.”

Photo courtesy of Lorie Shaull