Hoping for an answer. After Brittney Griner was convicted of drug smuggling in Russia, loads of WNBA gamers and different celebrities weighed in to precise their help for the athlete.
“Considering of BG and the way a lot gentle she relentlessly delivered to everybody round her,” tweeted Brianna Turner, who performs with the Olympic gold medalist, 31, on the Phoenix Mercury. “Even after sentencing is full I hope @POTUS & @WhiteHouse will proceed to do all the pieces of their energy to carry Brittney Griner & all different Individuals detained overseas house.”
The Houston native was convicted in a Russian court docket on Thursday, August 4, six months after she was arrested and detained at a Moscow airport. She was sentenced to 9 years in jail and fined 1 million rubles, or about $16,400.
After the court docket issued its verdict, President Joe Biden referred to as Griner’s sentence “unacceptable” in an announcement launched by the White Home. “At present, American citizen Brittney Griner acquired a jail sentence that’s another reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney,” the previous senator, 79, stated. “It’s unacceptable, and I name on Russia to launch her instantly so she will be along with her spouse, family members, pals, and teammates.”
The previous vp continued: “My administration will proceed to work tirelessly and pursue each doable avenue to carry Brittney and Paul Whelan house safely as quickly as doable.” (Whelan, 52, is a former Marine who has been detained in Russia since December 2018.)
Brittney’s spouse, Cherelle Griner, beforehand slammed the Biden administration for failing to behave to free the athlete. “Initially, you understand, I used to be instructed … we’re going to try to deal with this behind [the] scenes and, you understand, let’s not elevate her worth and, you understand, keep quiet and, you understand, I did that,” the North Carolina Central College graduate, 30, stated throughout a June interview with CBS Mornings. “And respectfully, we’re over 140 days at this level, that doesn’t work, and so I cannot be quiet anymore.”
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris later phoned Cherelle to debate Brittney’s case and supply help. The president additionally wrote Brittney a letter, which Cherelle stated introduced her spouse “a lot pleasure” amid her detention.
“I consider each phrase that she stated to him, he understood and he sees her as an individual,” Cherelle stated in a July press convention. “And he has not forgotten her, which was her largest cry in her letter.”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and NBA commissioner Adam Silver additionally weighed in on Brittney’s sentence in a joint assertion on Thursday, saying: “At present’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unlucky, however not sudden and Brittney Griner stays wrongly detained. The WNBA and NBA’s dedication to her secure return has not wavered and it’s our hope that we’re close to the top of this means of lastly bringing BG house to america.”
Hold scrolling for extra movie star reactions to Brittney’s conviction.
