Brittney Griner release: Why was basketball star detained in Russia?

Since she was detained in Russia in February for allegedly carrying illegal cannabis oil in her luggage, the WNBA star has spent the past 10 months in jail.

The United States officials announced the trade on Thursday, saying that after weeks of negotiations, the 32-year-old American basketball star Brittney Griner was traded for Bout.

The State Department of the United States and Griner's family, friends, and fans have been begging Russia to free her.


Below is the following of the situation we know so far.

Brittney Griner: Know Her
Brittney Griner plays in the middle for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. With the US basketball team at the Olympics, she won two gold medals in 2016: one in Rio and another in Tokyo.

After winning the ESPY for being the Best Female Athlete in 2013, she became a talented basketball player.


What exactly happened?
On February 17 at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russian customs authorities found cartridges with illicit hashish oil in Griner's luggage.

Brittney Griner was arrested at the airport on suspicion of felony narcotics smuggling, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Since she was arrested just before Russia began its conflict in Ukraine, geopolitical tensions made it more difficult to secure her release.

Tass, an official Russian news agency, said that at the beginning of the WNBA star's trial, the Russian government provided evidence that she "bought two cartridges for personal use, which had 0.252 grams and 0.45 grams of hash oil."

FAQs:

1. When was Brittney Griner released?
   She was released on December 8.
2. Why was Brittney Griner in Russia?
   She was there to play basketball.