Page 14 - aruba-today-20220514

A14 sports
Saturday 14 May 2022
Detention of WNBA's Griner in Moscow extended by 1 month

MOSCOW (AP) — WNBA The status change places
star Brittney Griner had her her case under the pur-
pre-trial detention in Russia view of the department's
extended by one month Special Presidential Envoy
Friday, her lawyer said. for Hostage Affairs, which is
Alexander Boykov told The responsible for negotiating
Associated Press he thinks for the release of hostages
the relatively short exten- and Americans considered
sion indicated that Griner's wrongfully detained.
case would go to trial soon. Also working on the case
The 31-year-old American now is a center led by Bill
basketball player has been Richardson, the former U.S.
in custody for nearly three ambassador to the United
months. Nations who helped secure
Griner, a two-time Olympic the release of multiple hos-
gold medalist who plays for tages and detainees, in-
the Phoenix Mercury, was cluding Reed.
detained at a Moscow air- It's not entirely clear why
port in February after vape the U.S. government, which
cartridges containing oil for weeks had been more
derived from cannabis circumspect in its ap-
were allegedly found in her WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner leaves a courtroom after a hear- proach, reclassified Griner
luggage. She faces drug ing, in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 13, 2022. as a wrongful detainee. But
smuggling charges that Associated Press under federal law, there
carry a maximum penalty are a number of factors
of 10 years in prison. ed, and the WNBA contin- war in Ukraine has brought changes, it made the deal that go into such a charac-
Griner appeared for the ues to work with the U.S. U.S.-Russia relations to the in part because Yarosh- terization, including if the
brief hearing at a court out- government to get BG lowest level since the Cold enko had already served detention is based on be-
side Moscow handcuffed, home safely and as soon War. a long portion of his sen- ing an American or if the
wearing an orange hood- as possible," the basketball Despite the strain, Russia tence. detainee has been denied
ie and holding her face league said in a statement. and the United States car- The Russians may consider due process Besides Griner,
down. She did not express State Dept spokesman Ned ried out an unexpected Griner someone who could another American regard-
"any complaints about Price said diplomats from prisoner exchange last figure into another such ex- ed as unjustly detained
the detention conditions," the U.S. Embassy in Moscow month — trading former change. in Russia is Paul Whelan, a
Boykov said. spoke with Griner on Friday Marine Trevor Reed for Kon- The State Department last corporate security execu-
The Biden administration and reported she "is doing stantin Yaroshenko, a Rus- week said it now regards tive from Michigan. Whelan
says Griner is being wrong- as well as can be expected sian pilot serving a 20-year Griner as wrongfully de- was arrested in Decem-
fully detained. The WNBA in these circumstances." federal prison sentence tained, a change in clas- ber 2018 while visiting for a
and U.S. officials have Russian officials have de- for conspiring to smuggle sification that suggests the friend's wedding and was
worked toward her release, scribed Griner's case as a cocaine into the United U.S. government will be later sentenced to 16 years
without visible progress. criminal offense without States. more active in trying to se- in prison on espionage-re-
"Today's news on Brittney making any political as- While the U.S. does not cure her release even while lated charges his family has
Griner was not unexpect- sociations. But Moscow's typically embrace such ex- the legal case plays out. said are bogus.q

Bouwman gets 1st grand tour stage win, López keeps Giro lead

Jumbo–Visma teammate meter (122-mile) route from together, nearly three
— and 2017 Giro winner — Diamante to Potenza that minutes behind Bouw-
Tom Dumoulin and sprint- included four categorized man. López maintained his
ed to the line to edge out climbs and almost zero flat 38-second advantage over
Bauke Mollema and Da- sections. Lennard Kämna after mov-
vide Formolo by two sec- All four had been part of ing into the overall lead on
onds as the Giro tackled a seven-man breakaway Tuesday. Rein Taaramäe
its first mountain range, the that managed to get away was third, 58 seconds be-
Apennines. on the second categorised hind López.
It was only a second ever climb, the top classified as- Saturday's eighth stage
victory for Bouwman, who cent up Monte Sirino. sees the Giro return to Na-
won a stage in the Crité- "I was feeling quite good ples for the first time since
rium du Dauphiné in 2017. the whole day," Bouwman 2013 when the city hosted
"Unbelievable, like my first said. "One time on the climb the start of the Italian grand
victory in the Dauphiné, I I had a bit of trouble. It was tour.
Koen Bouwman, of the Netherlands, celebrates as he crosses can't believe it," he said. "It steeper than I thought but The undulating 153-kilome-
the finish line to win during the seventh stage of the Giro D'Italia
cycling race from Diamante to Potenza, Italy, Friday, May 13, was such a hard day ac- when I started my sprint I ter (95-mile) stage starts
2022. tually, and in the final we felt so much power left. I and finishes in Naples, but
Associated Press were four guys with two of knew I was getting close it leaves the seaside city to
us, and Tom did a superb to the victory and at 150 take in four laps of a 19-ki-
POTENZA, Italy (AP) — of the Giro d'Italia on Friday job in the last 2k." meters I looked behind and lometer (12-mile) circuit in
Dutch cyclist Koen Bouw- and Juan Pedro López kept Bouwman had time to look I had a big gap so, yeah, the volcanic surrounding
man claimed a first grand hold of the pink jersey. behind and raise his arms perfect." area.
tour stage victory after win- Bouwman was given a over his head as he crossed Most of the overall con- The Giro finishes on May 29
ning a tough seventh stage great leadout by Team the finish line of the 196-kilo- tenders crossed the line in Verona.q