LeBron James has joined demands for Joe Biden to assist in bringing WNBA star Brittney Griner back to the United States after she was arrested in Russia for allegedly attempting to smuggle hash oil into the nation.
Brittney Griner, 31, of the Phoenix Mercury, was detained at a Moscow airport on February 18 for allegedly smuggling into Russia vape cartridges containing hash oil, which is banned in Russia.
She was in Russia on a rumored $1 million contract to play for UMMC Yekaterinburg, but now faces up to ten years in a work camp for drug smuggling charges.
LeBron James, 37, of the Los Angeles Lakers has made a direct appeal to the Biden administration to return Griner home securely and soon.
He then distributed a flier from the campaign organization We Are BG, which is lobbying for Brittney’s return to the United States.
“For over 100 days, BG has faced inhumane conditions in a Russian prison and has been denied communications with her family and loved ones. As a decorated Olympian and member of an elite global sport community, BG’s detention must be resolved out of respect for the sanctity of all sport and for all Americans traveling internationally. It is imperative that the US Government immediately address this human rights issue and do whatever is necessary to return Brittney home.”
The Biden administration claims Griner is being held illegally, despite the fact that the WNBA and US officials have been working on her release for months with no evident results. Her detention was deemed unconstitutional by the White House.
Her case was turned over to the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) in early May, who negotiated the release of hostages and other Americans who had been unfairly incarcerated.
The claims against Griner have not been proven in court, and various public figures, including US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, have accused the Russian government of falsely accusing Griner and other Americans detained in Russia.
On May 13, the Olympic champion was pictured leaving a Moscow court with her hood up and her hair concealing her face after learning that her incarceration would be extended for another month.
Griner, who is widely regarded as one of the top female basketball players in the world, has already spent 84 days in custody.
“We were able to check on her condition, we will continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly. Our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition and we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal,” a representative said at the time.
