American basketball player Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia for drug smuggling. In February, a check in the luggage of the two-time Olympic winner, who plays for Ekaterinburg, discovered hashish oil at Sheremetyevo airport.
TASS reported the allegations to Griner, citing a source from the security forces. The Russian customs administration did not disclose the name of the detainee. She only stated that she is a player who has won the Olympic Games twice with the American national team.
Thirty-one-year-old Griner could go to jail for up to ten years for drug smuggling. Her arrest came at a time when relations between the United States and Russia are strained due to a military attack on Ukraine.
“We know about her situation and we are watching her closely,” American basketball officials said on Twitter. “Brittney has always acted like a complete professional and her safety is our main concern.”
Griner has been working in Ekaterinburg since 2014 and has won the European League with him four times. In the WNBA, she replaces Phoenix Mercury, with which she once dominated the overseas competition. He also has two world titles to his credit.
