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Freedom has finally knocked on WNBA star Brittney Griner after spending months in a Russian jail. The athlete will spend the holidays with her loved ones after a successful one-for-one prisoner swap.
The 32-year-old basketball player, serving time on narcotic charges, was released in exchange for international arms dealer Viktor Bout, as reported by CBS News.
According to the news publication, President Joe Biden signed off on the trade, which took place in the United Arab Emirates. “Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home,” the United States President wrote alongside snaps of himself, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Griner’s wife, Cherelle.
Who is protecting Brittney Griner overseas?
According to CNN, Griner is with American officials. President Biden addressed the nation and verbally confirmed the exchange agreement between Griner and Bout.
“After months of being unjustly detained in Russia, held in intolerable circumstances, Brittney will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and she should have been there all along,” he said.
“This is a day we worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her release. It took painstaking and intense negotiations,” he added.
Why Brittney Griner was detained?
According to reports from The New York Times, the Phoenix Mercury player was detained after customs officials detected cannabis oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.
USA Basketball, the governing body for sport in the United States, said in a statement it is “aware of and closely monitoring the legal situation facing Brittney Griner in Russia.”
“Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and wellbeing are our primary concerns,” they continued.
The WNBA echoed that sentiment, saying Griner has its “full support” and going on to say that its main priority is “her swift and safe return to the United States.”