Brittney Griner’s spouse, Cherelle, has thanked everybody for his or her assist of the WNBA star, who was arrested final month in Russia.
Brittney Griner was detained at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities mentioned a search of her baggage revealed vape cartridges. They have been recognized as containing oil derived from hashish, which might carry a most penalty of 10 years in jail.
The 31-year-old Griner, one of the recognizable gamers in ladies’s basketball, has gained two Olympic gold medals with the U.S., a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury and a nationwide championship at Baylor. She is a seven-time All-Star.
Cherelle Griner posted an image Sunday on Instagram of the couple.
“Thanks to everybody who has reached out to me relating to my spouse’s secure return from Russia. Your prayers and assist are tremendously appreciated,” she wrote. “I like my spouse wholeheartedly, so this message comes throughout one of many weakest moments of my life. I perceive that lots of you’ve grown to like BG over time and have issues and need particulars. Please honor our privateness as we proceed to work on getting my spouse house safely.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Sunday the U.S. will present help to any American citizen being held on international soil.
“There’s solely a lot I can say given the privateness concerns at this level. Each time an American is detained wherever on the planet, we in fact stand prepared to offer each potential help, and that features in Russia,” Blinken mentioned. “Now we have an embassy crew that’s engaged on the circumstances of different Individuals who’re detained in Russia. We’re doing all the things we will to see to it that their rights are upheld and revered.”
There was an outpouring of assist for Griner on social media from WNBA gamers in addition to different athletes. Many have voiced their issues for Griner’s bodily well-being in addition to her psychological well being. She handled mental health issues for a lot of her life and has been open about it.
There was at the very least one signal on the Baylor males’s basketball recreation on Saturday supporting the previous Bears star.
Griner has performed in Russia for the final seven years within the winter, incomes over $1 million per season — greater than quadruple her WNBA wage. She final performed for her Russian crew UMMC Ekaterinburg on Jan. 29 earlier than the league took a two-week break in early February for the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournaments.
Greater than a dozen WNBA gamers have been taking part in in Russia and Ukraine this winter, together with league MVP Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley of the champion Chicago Sky. The WNBA confirmed Saturday that every one gamers apart from Griner had left each nations.
“We stay in fixed contact together with her household, her illustration, the WNBA and NBA. We love and assist Brittney and right now our most important concern is her security, bodily and psychological well being, and her secure return house,” the Mercury mentioned in an announcement.
Extra AP ladies’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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