In the meantime, however, the US government has also tightened its tone: in a statement, the US Department of State spoke for the first time that Griner “unjustly detained by the Russian Federation” had been – and thus brought her status close to that of a political prisoner. The US government will continue to make every effort to offer Griner the necessary support, the statement said State Department. Nothing was announced about possible new findings that could have prompted the government to change its strategy.
Special ambassador assigned to Griner case
The US media has interpreted the official statement from Washington as meaning that the government no longer wants to wait for the charges against Griner to go to trial in Russia. Instead, they will now negotiate directly with Moscow about the release and return of the player to the USA.
According to a report by “ESPN” the State Department set up a commission of experts who otherwise deal with kidnappings of US citizens abroad. Bill Richardson, a former UN ambassador and experienced diplomat, was commissioned with the specific negotiations in the Griner case. Richardson had recently as Negotiators secured the release of a US Marine who had been imprisoned in Russia for three years, also on controversial charges.
The WNBA cited increased diplomatic efforts to release Griner “a positive development”. We continue to work closely with the government to protect the player “to bring home safely and as soon as possible”the statement said.
Significantly higher salaries in Russia – WNBA under pressure
Griner’s case has once again brought the salary structure of the US professional league into focus: The maximum salary was raised to $230,000 after the most recent collective bargaining between the league and the players’ union. Top stars like Griner, two-time Olympic champion, can still earn significantly more abroad, with top Russian clubs like Yekaterinburg allegedly even earning more than a million dollars.
The fact that they also run the risk of getting caught between the political fronts is now putting the WNBA under pressure: The league has already announced that it intends to restrict the foreign commitments of players more in the future. At the same time, it signals a willingness to raise salaries in order to make foreign commitments less lucrative for the players.
Shows of solidarity for Griners in the WNBA arenas
At the start of the season, concern for one of the best players prevails within the league, not only in Phoenix: In all arenas, her shirt number 42 will be engraved on the field, along with her initials “BG”, in solidarity with the imprisoned Griner.
“We think of her every day, we love her‘ said her teammate Skylar Diggins Smith. “We will play for them, take their place and be their voice on the field. Until she is with us again.“