“I need to apologize to my teammates, my membership, my followers, and the town of [Yekaterinburg] for my mistake that I made and the embarrassment that I introduced on them,” Griner stated in her assertion. “I need to additionally apologize to my mother and father, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury group again at residence, the wonderful girls of the WNBA, and my wonderful partner again at residence.”
Responding to her sentence, President Joe Biden slammed Russia for “wrongfully detaining” Griner, saying he would “pursue each doable avenue” to carry her residence.
“It’s unacceptable, and I name on Russia to launch her instantly so she may be along with her spouse, family members, pals, and teammates,” Biden stated in a statement. “My administration will proceed to work tirelessly and pursue each doable avenue to carry Brittney and Paul Whelan residence safely as quickly as doable.”
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver additionally launched a joint assertion condemning the decision.
“Right now’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unlucky, however not surprising and Brittney Griner stays wrongly detained,” they stated. “The WNBA and NBA’s dedication to her protected return has not wavered and it’s our hope that we’re close to the top of this means of lastly bringing BG residence to the United States.”
Griner beforehand testified that she used hashish oil prescribed by her physician to deal with ache from sports activities accidents, however had packed her baggage in a rush and didn’t imply to carry them to Russia, the place she was taking part in within the WNBA offseason. “As they ended up in my baggage by chance, I take duty, however I didn’t intend to smuggle or plan to smuggle [illegal substances] to Russia,” she had testified on July 27.
Griner additionally complained that her rights were not read to her when she was first arrested and that she didn’t obtain correct translation providers throughout the investigation.
In a letter written to Biden final month, Griner stated she was “terrified” she is likely to be held in a Russian jail eternally.
“I understand you’re coping with a lot, however please don’t neglect about me and the opposite American Detainees,” she stated. “Please do all you possibly can to carry us residence.”
Colas, Griner’s agent, stated they appreciated the Biden administration’s efforts to carry basketball star and Whelan again to the US.
“Bringing Brittney and Paul house is the only goal, and as such, we should always use all obtainable instruments,” Colas stated. “We should stay targeted and unified. This can be a time for compassion and a shared understanding that getting a deal carried out to carry Individuals residence will likely be onerous, however it’s pressing and it’s the proper factor to do.”
