Brittany Griner, a U.S. women’s national basketball team member who had been detained in Russia for about 10 months since February 2022, welcomed the recent news of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia.
The U.S. sports media ESPN reported on the 2nd (local time) that “Greiner was thrilled by this prisoner swap.”
On the 1st (local time), the U.S. defeated Belgium 87-74 in the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s basketball Group C preliminary match held at Stade Pierre Mauroy to advance to the quarterfinals. Griner scored 7 points in the game, contributing to the U.S. victory.
Greiner is the starting center for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a star player in the league, having been selected as MVP twice, All-Star nine times, scoring champion twice, and Defensive Player of the Year twice. She was selected as one of the ’25 Greatest Players of All Time’ by the WNBA.
She is also a symbol of the US women’s basketball team at the Olympics. She was a key player in the women’s basketball gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In
February 2022, while playing in the Russian league, Greiner was caught with cannabis oil. She was arrested and sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling. Greiner claimed at trial that she had taken the cannabis oil by mistake, but her claim was rejected. She returned to the US in December of the same year through a US-Russian prisoner exchange.
In a post-game interview, Greiner mentioned the recent prisoner exchange between the US and Russia. “Something very exciting has happened,” Greiner said. “This is a great day. When Americans come home, that’s a victory.” Greiner posted a statement on Instagram. He repeatedly emphasized, “I feel joy and relief seeing the four American citizens safely return to the United States today.” She also spoke out for those still detained overseas. In the statement, she said, “My heart goes out to the many Americans and their families who are still being held hostage overseas,” and insisted, “We must continue to do everything we can for the remaining Americans who are being held.” Having experienced prison life, Greiner continues to participate in related campaigns and speeches. She is active in helping other Americans held abroad. The United States and Russia previously carried out the largest prisoner exchange since the end of the Cold War. The four Americans, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrived in the United States on the 1st (local time). 카지노사이트
