Griner, who was illegally detained by the US government, will now be detained until at least June 18, a court in Khimki near Moscow ruled on Friday, TASS reported, citing the court’s press service. After leaving the Khimki court hearing on Friday, she was handcuffed, wearing an orange hooded sweater and with her head bowed, according to a photo from the Associated Press. Two-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA star Phoenix Mercury, Greener, 31, was arrested in February at Moscow airport. Russian authorities said Greener had cannabis oil in her luggage and accused her of smuggling significant amounts of the drug, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. She played for a Russian team in the WNBA off-season. A Russian court announced in March that it had extended Greenner’s detention until mid-May. A date for the trial has not been set, a source close to the situation told CNN at the time.
The United States classifies her as illegally detained
The U.S. State Department has classified Griner as an illegal detainee in Russia, and her case is being handled by the office of the US president’s special envoy for hostages, a State Department official told CNN last week. The Office directs and coordinates the government’s diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Americans wrongfully detained abroad.
In addition to the work of the Biden administration, the Richardson Center, which privately advocates on behalf of the families of the hostages and detainees, is working on behalf of the Greener family to try to secure her release.
The WNBA is considering the move by federal authorities to classify Greener as illegally detained as a “positive development and the next step toward bringing her home,” a league spokesman said last week.
Greener was selected No. 1 in the 2013 WNBA Draft and is one of the best players in the league of all time.
The league, which began its 26th regular season last week without Greener, honors the seven-time star with her initials and shirt number (42) along all 12 home courts. Greenner will also receive his full salary in the WNBA, the league announced.
Last season, Greener finished second in the Most Valuable Player Award. The 6-foot-9 center led Mercury to the WNBA Finals, where Phoenix lost to Chicago Sky.
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