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A Vladimir Putin spokesperson is providing an update on WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov spoke with NBC News and denied that Griner was being held hostage or a political prisoner. According to Peskov, Griner is simply being held responsible for breaking the law.
Griner has been detained since February after Russian officials claim cannabis oil was found in her luggage at an airport near Moscow. As a result, Russian officials launched a drug trafficking investigation into the 31-year-old Phoenix Mercury star. She was charged with “large-scale transportation of drugs.”
If convicted, Griner could face 10 years in prison in Russia.
For the last seven years, Griner has played for the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason. She last played on January 29 before a two-week break for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments.
While Griner is being detained, the WNBA is honoring her with a “BG42” logo on every court until she is released.
