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A16 sports
Thursday 28 april 2022
EXPLAINER: Will a Russian prisoner exchange impact Griner?

By DOUG FEINBERG cannabis derivative legal down the idea of a broader
AP Basketball Writer in much of the world. The rapprochement with Mos-
Brittney Griner remains offense can mean up to cow at a time when Russia
detained in Russia and 10 years in prison. Experts is at war with Ukraine.
it's unclear how an unex- have predicted the two- IS GRINER'S CASE SIMILAR?
pected prisoner exchange time Olympic gold medalist In addition, Griner's case is
between the United States could get much less if con- at a much different status
and Russia that freed ma- victed. than that of Reed, who had
rine veteran Trevor Reed Like many top WNBA play- been convicted in a Rus-
on Wednesday will affect ers, Griner plays overseas sian court and sentenced
the status of the WNBA star. as a way to supplement to nine years in prison. Gri-
Griner has been detained her income. She was re- ner's case, by contrast, has
in Russia since mid-Febru- turning to the country af- yet to wind through the
ary. ter the Russian League, in Russian court system, with
The deal announced by which she also plays, was the evidence and facts still
the U.S. and Russia involv- taking a break for the FIBA unclear.
ing Reed, an American World Cup qualifying tour- The U.S. had assessed Reed
imprisoned for nearly three nament. and another American,
years, would have been Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner pauses on the court dur- WHAT THE PRISONER EX- Michigan corporate secu-
a notable diplomatic ma- ing the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Se- CHANGE MEANS? rity executive Paul Whel-
neuver even in times of attle Storm, Sept. 3, 2019, in Phoenix. It is unclear if Reed's release an, to have been unjustly
peace. It was all the more Associated Press will have any bearing on detained by Russia and
surprising because it was Griner's case. It seems un- had officials had pressed
done as Russia's war with point in decades. the WNBA's Phoenix Mer- likely to have any immedi- Moscow for their release.
Ukraine has driven relations Griner, a two-time Olympic cury, was arrested in Russia ate impact in part because American officials have not
with the U.S. to their lowest gold medalist who plays for for allegedly possessing a the administration played yet made a similar determi-
nation about Griner, mean-
ing that their role — at least
overtly — is generally con-
fined to ensuring she has
access to consular services
while behind bars.
WHERE IS GRINER NOW
The 6-foot-9 Griner is being
held in a detention facil-
ity near Moscow. She has
been meeting with her
lawyers regularly and had
a visit with a U.S. Embassy
official last month to check
on her condition.
State Department spokes-
person Ned Price said last
month that Griner ap-
peared "to be in good con-
dition." Price did not identify
the official who had been
granted consular access to
Griner.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Griner had her detention
extended to May 19. More
information about her case
may emerge then. But re-
gardless of the factual al-
legations against her in
court, it's impossible to di-
vorce the legal case from
the broader political im-
plications. In some cases,
U.S. officials do speak out
loudly when they're con-
vinced an American has
been wrongly detained.
But Griner's case is barely
two months old and offi-
cials have yet to make that
determination. A State De-
partment office that works
to free American hostages
and unjust detainees is not
known to be involved.q