WNBA Statement reagarding incident involving Brittney Griner at Dallas Airport

The WNBA issued the following statement regarding today’s incident involving the Phoenix Mercury’s Brittney Griner:

“As we gather additional information about today’s incident at the Dallas Airport, it has come to our attention that this was orchestrated by a social media figure and provocateur. His actions were inappropriate and unfortunate.”

“The safety of Brittney Griner and all WNBA players is our top priority. Prior to the season, the WNBA worked together with the Phoenix Mercury and BG’s team to ensure her safety during her travel, which included charter flights for WNBA games and assigned security personnel with her at all times. We remain steadfastly committed to the highest standards of security for players.”

Full press conference: Brittney Griner discusses her return to basketball court with Phoenix Mercury

WNBA star Brittney Griner discussed her return to the basketball court with the Phoenix Mercury at a press conference Thursday ahead of the team's 2023 training camp. Griner spent nearly 10 months imprisoned on drug charges in Russia before she was freed in December in a prisoner swap. Watch the full press conference below.

Barack Obama Statement On The Release Of Brittney Griner

Former U.S. President, Barack Obama released the folowing statement on the release of Brittney Griner via Twitter:

Grateful for the long-overdue release of Brittney Griner today from Russian custody. Kudos to President Biden and his administration for the difficult diplomatic work involved to make it happen. We’re looking forward to having Brittney back home.

NAACP Statement On The Release of Brittney Griner

The NAACP released the folowing statement on the release of Brittney Griner:

"The NAACP is elated to hear the news that after 10-months, Brittney Griner is finally on her way home. We applaud President Biden for ensuring Brittney's release. Let's be clear, Brittney's imprisonment was not only inherently political, but a clear violation of human rights. Although nothing can replace the time that she has lost, we hope that her family can find comfort in the fact that Brittney will be free to celebrate the holidays with them. Brittney, welcome home."

NBA Player's Association statement on Brittney Griner's release

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA)ed the following statement on the release of WNBA star, Brittney Griner:

We are overwhelmed with relief and gratitude that our sister Brittney Griner is finally coming home. Her strength and courage throughout this last year have been truly remarkable, as have the efforts of her wife Cherelle, our WNBPA sisters, Terri Jackson and the WNBPA staff, who have been relentless in their call to bring Brittney home. We know this homecoming would not have been possible without their unwavering support and continued work to keep BG always top of mind, and our players are honored to have contributed to those efforts. While this is a celebratory moment for our sisters and us, we must not forget the other political prisoners who remain in dire circumstances all over the world. These individuals must be remembered and fought for every single day as BG was so that they too can have this moment.

Welcome home Brittney, we are so happy to have you back! #WeAreBG"

WNBA Statement On The Release Of Brittney Griner

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued the following statement on the release of Brittney Griner:

“There has not been a day over the past ten months where we all haven’t had Brittney Griner on our minds and in our hearts and that has now turned into a collective wave of joy and relief knowing that she will soon be reunited with her family, the WNBA player community, and her friends. BG has shown extraordinary courage and dignity in the face of enormous adversity. The WNBA is grateful beyond measure to the Biden Administration, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and all those who played a role in bringing BG home today. Our hope is that Paul Whelan and every wrongfully detained American will be returned home safely and as soon as possible.”

President Biden, Cherelle Griner Remarks on Release of WNBA Star Brittney Griner

Watch as President Biden announces that the U.S. had secured the release of WNBA player Britney Griner. Also hear Brittney Griner's wife, Cherelle discuss Brittney's release.

Brittney Griner meets with US officials in Russia

WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is facing nine years in a Russian prison, met with U.S. Embassy officials in Russia on Thursday, according to State Department spokesman Ned Price.

"They saw firsthand her tenacity and perseverance despite her present circumstances. We continue to press for the immediate release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan and fair treatment for every detained American," Price said in a tweet announcing the visit.

Thursday's visit marks the first time U.S. officials have been able to gain direct Griner since early August. Most recently, they were able to speak with her over the phone on her birthday on Oct. 18.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday that the Biden administration was told that Griner is "doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances."

Jean-Pierre said that securing the freedom of Griner and Whelan, a U.S. citizen and former Marine who has been detained in Russia since 2019, continues to be a "top priority" for the White House.

"As we have said before, the U.S. government made a significant offer to the Russians to resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful, wrongful detentions of American citizens Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan," Jean-Pierre said. "I can also tell you that in the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with Russians through all available channels."

Read more: Brittney Griner meets with US officials in Russia as White House works to secure her release

Congressional Black Caucus statement on Brittney Griner receiving 9 year prison sentence

The Congressioanl Black Caucus released the following statement after American women's basketball star Brittney Griner was convicted of deliberately smuggling drugs into Russia and sentenced to nine years of jail time.

The sentencing of #BrittneyGriner was truly unfortunate. As we have said from the beginning, Ms. Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia, which is unacceptable.

We will continue our calls for the Biden Administration to use every tool at its disposal to ensure her release and that she is returned to her family.

US proposes swap with Russia to free Brittney Griner

The U.S. State Deoartment is now offering to trade prisoners with Russia to bring home basketball star Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine from Michigan.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken added he would engage with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. It was the first public acknowledgement of a deal that could involve a prisoner swap or addressing the sanctions placed on the country after it invaded Ukraine.

“My hope would be that in speaking to Foreign Minister Lavrov, I can advance the efforts to bring them home,” Blinken said.

CNN Interview with Cherelle Griner, the wife of American WNBA star Brittney Griner

CNN's Abby Phillip sat down with Cherelle Griner, the wife of American WNBA star Brittney Griner for an interview in which she said that she wants US officials to do whatever they have to do to bring the basketball legend home -- and she needs to see them do more

Watch the full interview below:

Boston Celtics wear shirts in support of Brittney Griner

Members of the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts with "WE ARE BG" written across them at Saturday's practice ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in support of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia.

"The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA," Grant Williams said. "She's been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college, and in the amount of impact she's had on young female athletes, USA and overseas.

"We hope to have her back in the U.S. and reunited with her family and do what she loves and bring that love and tenacity she always plays with on the court."

Williams, a vice president within the National Basketball Players Association, said the shirts were a collaboration between both the NBPA and WNBPA, as a way to show support for Griner as she continues to be held in Russia, where she's been in custody since early February.

"They sent them overnight to get them here for today," Williams said. "They did a phenomenal job, and want to credit them to make that process happen. We just wanted to do that as a team. It was one of those things where no one questioned it. Everyone said, 'Let's do it.' Everyone put the shirt on immediately when we got them, fresh off the box. They were ironed and good to go. So we wanted to show that love and support."

The 6-foot-9 center has been in custody since being detained at an airport in mid-February, with the United States government saying Griner has been wrongfully detained.

"We wanted to come out and show our support... We feel like enough is enough."

-Jaylen Brown discusses the @celtics all wearing t-shirts in support of Brittney Griner. pic.twitter.com/Gs14Zqr40x

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 4, 2022

[SOURCE: ESPN]

WNBA commissioner's update on Brittney Griner

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert kicked off Monday's WNBA draft with an update on Phoenix Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner, who remains imprisoned in a Russian jail. Watch that statement below:

U.S, Consulate in Russia yet to see Brittney Griner

U.S. State Department spokesperson, Ned Price says the U.S. Consulate in Russia has not seen Brittney Griner to check on her since she was arrested in Moscow on Feb. 17 on drug charges.

Brittney Griner detention in Russia extended to May 19

Russian media reported that the detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner was extended until May 19, a development that could see the two-time Olympic champion being held for at least three months before her case is resolved.

Griner was detained at a Moscow airport, reportedly in mid-February, after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges allegedly containing oil derived from cannabis, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

“The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the U.S. citizen Griner until May 19,” the court said, according to the state news agency Tass.

Ekaterina Kalugina, a member of Public Monitoring Commission, told TASS that Griner is sharing a cell with two inmates who "had no previous convictions and are charged with drug-related articles.">/p>

“The only objective problem has turned out to be the basketball player’s height,” Tass quoted Kalugina as saying of the 6-foot-9 Griner. “The beds in the cell are clearly intended for a person of lesser height.”

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee demands Russia release WNBA star Brittney Griner

During a press conference Saturday, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX 18th) delivered remarks on Houston native and WNBA star, Brittney Griner, who was arrested in Russia on drug charges. In her statement, the congresswoman says she will be demanding her release.

Watch her entire statement below:

Brittney Griner arrested in Russia on drug charges

WNBA All-Star Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia last month at a Moscow airport after a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges.

The Russian Customs Service said Saturday that the cartridges were identified as containing oil derived from cannabis, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The customs service identified the person arrested as a player for the U.S. women's team and did not specify the date of her arrest. Russian media reported the player was Griner, and her agent did not dispute those reports.

“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,” Griner's agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas said Saturday. “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.”

“Brittney Griner has the WNBA's full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States,” the league said in a statement.

[SOURCE: AP]