Britney Griner has been a member of the WNBA team Phoenix Mercury since 2014. She has earned many honors as a member of the Mercury including WNBA Defensive player of the year (2014, 2015), 2014 WNBA Champion, WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week Award (8 times), WNBA Peak Performer Award, and WNBA all-star. In addition, she has been a member of Team USA, winning a gold medal at the Olympics in Rio and a gold medal at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Championships. She recently played internationally in Russia during the WNBA offseason for UMMC Ekaterinburg. Many WNBA players do the same as they can make higher salaries playing overseas.
Britney Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki, Russia on February 17, 2022. She was detained because her luggage contained vape cartridges with hashish oil, a concentrate of marijuana. This led to her being investigated for “large scale transportation of drugs” which can carry a sentence of 10 years in jail in Russia. She will be detained until at least May 19, 2022. A U.S. consular officer was able to visit her and confirm that she is in good condition (after much pleading from the U.S. government).
Britney’s case must be analyzed in the context of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022. The invasion continues to this day and many Ukrainian cities are destroyed. Many see Britney’s detainment as a reaction to Russia’s dislike of the United States’ involvement in the situation. The U.S. has been training Ukrainian special forces since 2015, sending cybersecurity experts in January 2022, and has sent $2.7 billion dollars in military aid since 2014 (a number that has increased quickly in recent months). Would Brintey have been detained if the invasion or this military aid did not occur? It is impossible to know for sure, but it does seem like the United States’ reaction to the invasion encouraged Russia to act in a retaliatory manner in response.
It is important to watch Britney’s case closely and advocate for her safety. Many Black visitors to Russia and residents of Russia have reported racist treatment including being denied public transportation, bullying, being denied services in public spaces such as cafes, racial slurs, and bias in education to name a few. It is important to make sure she is safe as a person of color and a woman. In addition, she is in a country that has been given a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning by the State Department which notes that U.S. citizens may be harassed by security officials and that laws may be applied arbitrarily. This lowers the chance that her case is reviewed fairly. Britney has been detained in a country that is actively invading another, which may be unsafe for U.S. citizens. Her case should be given high priority and her safe return home is paramount.
One thing that we can learn from her case is to be extra cautious when we are visiting countries that have stricter laws than the United States and that have precarious political relations with the United States. Also, it is important to remember that many countries have more stringent laws regarding controlled substances and that you should review the transport of any marijuana, CBD, medicines, alcohol, etc. before you visit a new place.
Sources:
https://www.wnba.com/player/brittney-griner/
https://news.yahoo.com/how-the-us-helped-ukraine-prepare-for-a-russian-invasion-210407079.html