WNBA player, Britney GreinerShe was detained in Russia after officials found cannabis oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow, according to a report in the New York Times on Saturday.
The newspaper quoted a statement from the Russian Federal Customs Service that posted a video of a person who appears to be Greiner, 6 feet 9 inches, going through airport security.
WNBA star Britney Greiner, who plays abroad while on vacation, is reported to be being held in Russia after officials found cannabis oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.
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“We are aware of Britney Griner’s status in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her team, the WNBA and the National Basketball Association,” Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas told ESPN. “As this is an ongoing legal issue, we cannot comment further on the specifics of her case, but we can confirm that while we work to get her home back, her mental and physical health remains our primary concern.”
Like many WNBA players, Griner, 31, plays extensively abroad during the winter months, most recently in Russia.
“Britney Grenier has the full support of the NBA, and our highest priority is her safe and speedy return to the United States,” the league added in a statement.
He played nine seasons with the Phoenix Mercury, who lost in the WNBA Finals last October to Chicago. He won championships with Mercury in 2014 and gold medals with the United States at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics.
Over the past week, WNBA players in Russia have fled the country after the invasion of Ukraine.
Mercury said they are “in constant contact” with the Greiner family, his representation and both the WNBA and the National Basketball Association.
Veteran women’s basketball agent Mike Kaund told ESPN on February 27 that players in Russia are working urgently to get out of Russia.