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                                                                                                       sports Diamars 5 Juli 2022

                           Griner sends letter to President Biden pleading for his help


            (AP) – Brittney Griner has                                                                                          sporadic   communications
            made  an  appeal  to  Presi-                                                                                        with  family,  friends  and
            dent Joe Biden in a letter                                                                                          WNBA  players  through  an
            passed to the White House                                                                                           email  account  her  agent  set
            through  her  representa-                                                                                           up.  The  emails  are  printed
            tives saying she feared she                                                                                         out and delivered in bunches
            might never return home                                                                                             to Griner by her lawyer after
            and  asking  that  he  not  "                                                                                       they are vetted by Russian of-
            forget  about  me  and  the                                                                                         ficials. Once the lawyers get
            other  American  Detain-                                                                                            back  to  their  office,  they'll
            ees."                                                                                                               scan any responses from Gri-
                                                                                                                                ner and pass them back to the
            Griner's agent Lindsay Kaga-                                                                                        U.S. to send along.
            wa  Colas  said  the  letter  was
            delivered  on  Monday.  Most                                                                                        She  was  supposed  to  have  a
            of  the  letter's  contents  to                                                                                     phone call with her wife on
            President  Biden  remain  pri-                                                                                      their anniversary but it failed
            vate,  though  Griner's  repre-                                                                                     because  of  an  "unfortunate
            sentatives shared a few lines                                                                                       mistake,"  Biden  administra-
            from the hand-written note.                                                                                         tion officials.
                                                                                                                                Griner's supporters have en-
            "…As  I  sit  here  in  a  Rus-                                                                                     couraged a prisoner swap like
            sian  prison,  alone  with  my                                                                                      the one in April that brought
            thoughts  and  without  the                                                                                         home Marine veteran Trevor
            protection  of  my  wife,  fam-                                                                                     Reed in exchange for a Rus-
            ily,  friends,  Olympic  jersey,  The two-time Olympic gold  ceived Griner's letter.   the letter to use his powers to  sian  pilot  convicted  of  drug
            or any accomplishments, I'm  medalist is in the midst of a  "We believe the Russian Fed-  ensure her return.        trafficking  conspiracy.  The
            terrified I might be here for-  trial in Russia that began last  eration is wrongfully detain-  "Please do all you can to bring  State  Department  in  May
            ever," Griner wrote.         week  after  she  was  arrested  ing  Brittney  Griner,"  NSC  us home. I voted for the first  designated her as wrongfully
                                         on Feb. 17 on charges of pos-  spokeswoman Adrienne Wat-  time in 2020 and I voted for  detained,  moving  her  case
            "On the 4th of July, our fam-  sessing cannabis oil while re-  son said on Monday. "Presi-  you.  I  believe  in  you.  I  still  under  the  supervision  of  its
            ily normally honors the ser-  turning to play for her Rus-  dent  Biden  has  been  clear  have  so  much  good  to  do  special presidential envoy for
            vice of those who fought for  sian  team.  The  trial  will  re-  about the need to see all U.S.  with  my  freedom  that  you  hostage affairs, effectively the
            our  freedom,  including  my  sume Thursday.              nationals  who  are  held  hos-  can help restore," Griner said  government's  chief  hostage
            father who is a Vietnam War                               tage  or  wrongfully  detained  "I  miss  my  wife!  I  miss  my  negotiator.
            Veteran,"  the  Phoenix  Mer-  Fewer than 1% of defendants  abroad  released,  including  family! I miss my teammates!
            cury  center  added.  "It  hurts  in Russian criminal cases are  Brittney  Griner.  The  U.S.  It kills me to know they are  Griner isn't the only Ameri-
            thinking  about  how  I  usu-  acquitted, and unlike in U.S.  government  continues  to  suffering so much right now.  can  being  wrongfully  de-
            ally celebrate this day because  courts, acquittals can be over-  work aggressively – using ev-  I  am  grateful  for  whatever  tained in Russia. Paul Whel-
            freedom  means  something  turned.                        ery available means – to bring  you can do at this moment to  an,  a  former  Marine  and
            completely  different  to  me  The  White  House  National  her home."                 get me home."                security director is serving a
            this year."                  Security  Council  confirmed                                                           16-year sentence on an espio-
                                         the  White  House  has  re-  Griner pleaded with Biden in  Griner has been able to have  nage conviction.

                          Barcelona strengthens squad by adding Kessie, Christensen


            (AP)  —  Barcelona  boosted  its  was on the Danish national team that  Barcelona called Kessie "the complete  has impressive stats as a goal-scorer,
            midfield  and  defense  by  signing  reached  the  semifinals  of  the  2020  package"  and  a  "strong  midfielder  partly due to his ability to make runs
            Franck Kessie and Andreas Chris-    European Championship.              with tactical awareness."           into the penalty area."
            tensen on Monday.                   Barcelona  called  him  "strong  and
                                                with  great  vision,  a  powerful  center  "Kessie is a player who contributes in  He will join a midfield that includes
            The 25-year-old Kessie, who had been  back who is excellent in the air" and  attack and in defense," the club said.  Sergio Busquets, Nico González and
            playing for AC Milan since 2017, ar-  "technically proficient with the ball at  "Capable of winning the ball back in  Frenkie de Jong.
            rives as a free agent on a contract until  his feet, a perfect fit" for the Catalan  midfield, the African midfielder also
            June 2026 and a buyout clause of 500  club.
            million euros ($522 million).
            Christensen comes after his contract  Kessie has 58 international appearanc-
            with Chelsea ended. His deal is also  es with his national team and played
            until  2026  and  contains  the  same  at the Tokyo Olympics as Ivory Coast
            buyout clause as Kessie's.          reached the quarterfinals.

            Kessie  will  be  officially  introduced  Kessie moved to Italy in 2014 to sign
            on Wednesday. The Ivory Coast mid-  for Atalanta, where he played in the
            fielder will be the second Ivorian to  club's  youth  squads  before  joining
            play for Barcelona, after Yaya Touré in  second-division  team  Cesena  on  a
            the late 2000s.                     loan.  Coach  Gian  Piero  Gasperini
            The 26-year-old Christensen will be  eventually brought him back to Ata-
            introduced  on  Thursday.  The  Dan-  lanta and he scored twice in his Serie
            ish central defender joined Chelsea's  A debut in 2016.
            youth teams in 2012 and had a stint  Kessie joined Milan on loan in 2017
            with  Borussia  Mönchengladbach  in  and permanently signed with the club
            the  Bundesliga  before  returning  to  in  2019  for  33  million  euros  ($34.5
            Chelsea.                            million). He helped AC Milan win its
                                                first title in 11 seasons this year. In his
            Christensen helped Chelsea win the  six seasons with Atalanta and Milan,
            Champions  League,  the  Europea  Kessie scored 45 goals.
            League and the Club World Cup, and
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