The time in prison in Russia seems to have left its mark on Brittney Griner. The basketball player was jailed for 10 months on drug charges. She only made her comeback in the Women’s National Basketball Association in May. On Saturday, their club, the Phoenix Mercury, announced that they would not travel to the upcoming two games. Phoenix Mercury will first face Chicago Sky on Sunday. The duel against Indiana Fever follows on Tuesday.
Griner wants to take care of her mental health instead. “The Mercury fully support Brittney and we will continue to work together on a timeline for her return,” the team said in a statement, according to Sports Illustrated.
On February 17, Brittney Griner was arrested at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Vape cartridges containing marijuana oil were discovered in the basketball player’s luggage. However, cannabis is banned in Russia. Griner was then sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia. Griner pleaded guilty. However, she explained that she did not intentionally break the law in Russia. The athlete had been prescribed hash oil in the United States to relieve pain from chronic injuries. A prisoner swap between the US and Russia finally took place in December. That’s how Griner was finally released.
In May, Griner made her comeback. She was in the squad for the season opener between her Phoenix Mercurys and the Los Angeles Sparks in California. The basketball player was celebrated several times by the fans. There was also loud cheering when they scored.
2023-07-30 14:28:00
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