By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Phoenix Mercury and UMMC Ekaterinburg center Brittney Griner remains in custody and will be detained in Russia at least until May 19, as reported by Russian news agency TASS.
“The court granted the petition of the investigation and extended the term of U.S. citizen Griner’s detention until May 19,” noted the latest update on Griner’s status in Russia.
Griner, 31, was arrested in February after a scan on her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing hash oil. She had arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport from New York.
The two-time Olympic Games gold medalist with the USA could be facing a sentence of five to ten years in prison.
She is sharing a cell with two English-speaking women with no previous convictions, according to Ekaterina Kalugina, a member of the Public Monitoring Commission, a semi-official body with access to Russian prisons. The only issue was the prison beds being too short, Kalugina added to TASS.
Some US officials are concerned Russia can be using Griner as leverage in response to sanctions imposed during the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
As a member of UMMC Ekaterinburg, the dunking-machine center has been playing in Russia during the WNBA offseason since 2014. Achievements include four EuroLeague championships in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021, along with three Russian domestic championships.
As for her WNBA career, she was crowned champion with Mercury in 2014. Multiple individual accolades are highlighted by seven All-Star Game berths.
Back in Baylor, Griner captured the NCAA championship in 2012 as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
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