Brittney Griner is charged with drug trafficking.
Brittney Griner was brought to court in handcuffs. EPA / AOP
American basketball player Brittney Griner pleaded guilty in a drug-smuggling trial in Russia.
According to the Reuters news agency, the two-time Olympic champion faces up to ten years in prison.
Griner, who appeared in the 2016 and 2020 Games on the US Olympic gold-winning team, was arrested in February in Russia when he was leaving the country. Authorities claimed to have found an electronic cigarette with traces of cannabis oil in his luggage.
Griner played in the WNBA off-season in Yekaterinburg, Russia. His main job is playing for the Phoenix Mercury.
Griner pleaded guilty to smuggling at the trial on Thursday.
– However, it was not intentional. I didn’t want to break the sport, Griner said in his speech.
The matter will be discussed next time in a week.
Political prisoner?
Griner’s supporters believe that Russia is using the Olympic champion as a political hostage while the country is at war in Ukraine.
The USA has tried to release Griner through political means, but Russia has not agreed to release him.
Griner’s agent Lindsey Kagawa Colas has called on the United States to do everything it can to negotiate Griner’s return to the United States.
Griner personally asked the president Joe Biden to use his authority to secure him from Russia.
– I know you have a lot of things to do, but please don’t forget about me and the other detained Americans. Please do whatever you can to get us all home, Griner wrote in his message to Biden.