Brittney Griner Freed From Russian Custody in Prisoner Exchange: Everything to Know

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Brittney Griner Freed From Russian Custody in Prisoner Exchange: Everything to Know

The fight to bring a legend home has come to a happy ending. WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been in Russian custody since February 2022, is coming home. President Joe Biden confirmed her release via Twitter on December 8, 2022. "Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner. She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home," he wrote. Griner's freedom was negotiated in the United Arab Emirates in exchange for a convicted arms dealer. Prior to her release, plenty of her fellow athletes are leading the charge to get her back to the United States. Ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals in June 2022, the Boston Celtics wore T-shirts reading "WE ARE BG" during practice. "The shirts were super important not only showing our support for our sister that is detained over in Russia, Brittney Griner, we just wanted to show that togetherness and love that we have throughout not only the NBA but the WNBA," player Grant Williams told ESPN of the team's decision to wear the shirts. "She's been a vital part of the WNBA over years past, college and in the amount of impact she's had on young female athletes, USA and overseas." LeBron James also called for swifter action on the Olympic gold medalist's case, sharing a social media post from his Uninterrupted platform encouraging President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to keep pushing for Griner's return. "We need to come together and help do whatever we possibly can to bring BG home quickly and safely!!" the Space Jam: A New Legacy star tweeted in June 2022. "Our voice as athletes is stronger together." [jwplayer rdX1IEfB-zhNYySv2] Griner was arrested at a Moscow airport in February 2022 while she was in the country playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season. Russian authorities claimed that the athlete was carrying hashish oil in her luggage. News of her arrest and subsequent detention, however, did not emerge for several weeks. U.S. officials were initially hesitant to make any aggressive moves on behalf of Griner because of Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine, but in May 2022, the State Department declared that the Phoenix Mercury player had been "wrongfully detained." This status change meant that officials could immediately begin negotiating for her release rather than waiting until her next Russian court hearing. That same month, Griner's detention was extended until at least mid-June 2022. In the meantime, the Texas native has been communicating with her friends and family via letters. “She jokes in her letters. I don’t know how she does it with what she’s going through," Amanda Zahui B., a player for the Los Angeles Sparks, told the Associated Press of keeping in touch with her colleague. "She’s an amazing soul. She brings light in a situation like this. I don’t think a lot of people could manage to do that.” The ESPY winner's wife, Cherelle Griner, has also been offering her support from afar, speaking to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken about the case. "You say she's top priority, but I wanna see it, and I feel like to see it would be me seeing BG on U.S. soil," Cherelle told Good Morning America in May 2022. The Baylor University alum added that her wife was only playing in Russia because WNBA salaries are not lucrative enough to support their family. It is common for many WNBA players to go overseas in the off-season to supplement their income. "BG would wholeheartedly love to not go overseas," Cherelle explained. "She has only had one Thanksgiving in the States in nine years since she's been pro, and she misses all that stuff. Just because, you know, she can't make enough money in the WNBA, like, to sustain her life." Keep scrolling for more details on Brittney's case: [podcast_block]

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Who Is Brittney Griner?

Brittney is a very successful WNBA star who has played for the Phoenix Mercury since 2013. Prior to going pro, she made history as a college basketball player at Baylor University, setting the all-time single-season record for blocked shots in her freshman year. Since 2014, she has played for Russia's UMMC Ekaterinburg women's basketball team during the WNBA's off-season.

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Why Was She Detained?

Russian authorities arrested Brittney on February 17, 2022, after claiming she was caught with hash oil cartridges in her luggage while going through security at the Moscow airport. Customs officials for the country said that they had opened a criminal case into the "large-scale transportation of drugs," which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison in Russia.

After news of her detention broke on March 5, 2022, some observers connected her detention to Russia's history of holding U.S. citizens as political prisoners. "This follows a pattern of Russia wrongly detaining & imprisoning US citizens, including Trevor Reed," Texas Representative Joaquin Castro tweeted at the time. "US citizens are not political pawns. Brittney, Trevor, and other Americans must be safely returned." (Reed is a former Marine who had been detained in Russia since 2019; he was returned home in April 2022.)

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What's Being Done About Her Case?

In May 2022, the U.S. State Department changed course and declared that Brittney had been "wrongfully detained" by Russia. As a result, Roger Carstens, who is the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, began immediately working to negotiate her release. Her wife, Cherelle, later had a phone call with Blinken to discuss the specifics of the situation.

Meanwhile, the WNBA granted the Phoenix Mercury salary cap and roster relief so that Brittney would receive her full salary for the season without it counting against the team's limit. All WNBA courts also have a decal bearing Brittney's initials and jersey number.

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Which Celebs Have Gotten Involved?

Brittney's WNBA teammates have been some of the most outspoken stars, wearing shirts and pins in tribute to their colleague and calling for her release on social media and at press conferences. The NBA has also gotten involved, with commissioner Adam Silver saying that the league is actively working with the U.S. government to "expedite" Brittney's return. "It's been now over a hundred days since she's been illegally held in Russia," Silver said in June 2022. "I think it's something that all of us should be heard on, contacting your representatives and others. I will only say we are working in lockstep with the U.S. government and outside experts on trying to expedite her release in any way we can."

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Another Extension

In June 2022, a Russian court decided to extend Brittney's detention for nearly three additional weeks, meaning she will be in custody until at least July 2. According to the Russian media outlet TASS, the athlete's detention was extended for those 18 days at "the request of the investigation."

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When Will Brittney's Trial Start?

Brittney's lawyer, Alexander Boikov, told CNN on June 27, 2022, that his client's trial is set to begin on July 1, with her detention extended for the length of the court proceedings. Russian news outlets previously reported that the athlete would remain in pre-trial custody until at least July 2. That same day, the basketball star made a brief appearance at a court in the Moscow suburb of Khimki for a hearing. Photographs showed her entering the courtroom in handcuffs while in the custody of two guards.

One week earlier, Cherelle told the Associated Press that a previously planned phone call with the U.S. Embassy never happened. “I find it unacceptable and I have zero trust in our government right now," she said. "If I can’t trust you to catch a Saturday call outside of business hours, how can I trust you to actually be negotiating on my wife’s behalf to come home? Because that’s a much bigger ask than to catch a Saturday call.” The State Department later claimed that the missed phone call happened because of a "logistical error."

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Her Letter to Biden

In July 2022, Brittney wrote a letter to Biden begging for help in getting her home. "As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey or any accomplishments, I'm terrified I might be here forever," she wrote. "I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home."

She also reminded the president of her father's military service and noted that she voted for the former senator in 2020. "On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a Vietnam War veteran. It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year," she continued. "I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you."

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Biden Responds

One day after Cherelle told CBS Mornings that she was worried she might never see her wife again, the White House revealed that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had called Cherelle to discuss Brittney's case. "The President called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney's release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world," the White House said in a statement on July 6, 2022. "He also read her a draft of the letter the President is sending to Brittney Griner today." 

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Her Plea

On July 7, 2022, Brittney pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Moscow court. "I'd like to plead guilty, your honor," the athlete told the judge, according to Reuters. "But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law." She added that she needed "time to prepare" her testimony. Her next court date is scheduled for July 14.

Cherelle, meanwhile, said she was "grateful" for the phone call from Biden and Harris. "While I will remain concerned and outspoken until she is back home, I am hopeful in knowing that the President read my wife's letter and took the time to respond," she said in a statement. "I know BG will be able to find comfort in knowing she has not been forgotten."

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A Shout-Out at the ESPYs

During the ESPY Awards in July 2022, Megan Rapinoe, host Steph Curry and WNBA players Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith urged the U.S. government to take action in Brittney's case. “I think honestly what we’ve witnessed tonight is the importance of sport and how much we can bring and how much we can get done in the world with our collective power,” Rapinoe said during her acceptance speech. “Every time we say her name, it puts pressure on everyone — puts pressure on the administration, puts pressure on Russia. The most striking thing is that BG isn’t here. BG deserves to be free. We can support her more and let her know that we love her so much.”

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The Verdict

In August 2022, a Russian court found Brittney guilty of drug smuggling with criminal intent and sentenced her to nine years in prison. She was also fined 1 million rubles, or about $16,400. Russia has previously said that any possible negotiation about a prisoner swap would have to wait until after Brittney's sentencing. 

“I never meant to hurt anybody, I never meant to put in jeopardy the Russian population, I never meant to break any laws here,” the athlete said during the court hearing. “I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling that it doesn’t end my life here. I know everybody keeps talking about political pawn and politics, but I hope that that is far from this courtroom."

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How Is Dennis Rodman Involved?

In August 2022, Rodman revealed his plan to help free Griner, telling NBC, "I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl. I'm trying to go this week."

The former NBA star changed his tune about a week later, however, after the United States government discouraged his plan. "He would not be traveling on behalf of the U.S. government," State Department spokesperson Ned Price told ABC News shortly after Rodman’s declaration. "We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts."

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Cherelle Reacts to Brittney's Sentence

In her first interview since Brittney's sentencing, Cherelle told Gayle King that her life has felt "like a movie" since the verdict was announced. "It terrifies me, because when you watch movies, sometimes those situations don't end well," she said during an October 2022 appearance on CBS Mornings. "Sometimes they never get their person back." The law school graduate also admitted that she worries about never seeing Brittney again. "I'm sitting there like, 'Do we get her back? Do I ever get to see my wife again? Like, what happens [next]?' The fact that everything is so unprecedented and everything is, like, changeable, I think is a really good word," Cherelle explained. "I feel like every day I'm hearing something new, and so it's just, it's terrifying."

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A 'Disturbing' Phone Call

In the full version of her October 2022 CBS Mornings interview, Cherelle detailed the two phone calls she'd had with Brittney since she was arrested eight months earlier. "It was just so delightful just to hear her voice," Cherelle said of the first call, adding that she thought her wife was doing OK and that they "could survive this."

The second call, however, was less comforting. "You could hear that she was not OK," Cherelle explained. "I think I cried for about two, three days straight. It was the most disturbing phone call I'd ever experienced. ... I didn't have words."

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Birthday Statement

“Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home,” Brittney said in an October 2022 statement via CNN as she turned 32 in prison. “All the support and love are definitely helping me.”

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Her Appeal

Brittney's lawyer confirmed to CNN in August 2022 that an appeal was filed against the Russian court's verdict. The US State Department characterized her arrest as a "wrongful detainment" and officials posed the idea of a prisoner swap in an attempt to bring the athlete home safely.

In October 2022, the appeal was rejected by a Russian court. The White House condemned the decision.

"We are aware of the news out of Russia that Brittney Griner will continue to be wrongfully detained under intolerable circumstances after having to undergo another sham judicial proceeding today,” U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement to The Washington Post. “President Biden has been very clear that Brittney should be released immediately.”

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Moved to Russian Penal Colony

In November 2022, the WNBA star’s lawyers shared in a statement that the athlete was being moved to a penal colony and that they “do not have any information on her exact current location or her final destination.”

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Her Release

In December 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the WNBA star had been freed from a Russian penal colony. The Biden administration negotiated the athlete's release in exchange for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout.

In a press conference, the head of state — who stood alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner — detailed the athlete's release. 

"These past few months have been hell for Brittney and Cherelle," Biden said. "People all across the country have learned about Brittney's story and advocated for her release and stood with her throughout this terrible ordeal, and I know that support meant a lot to her family. I'm glad to be able to say that Brittney is in good spirits and relieved to finally be heading home." 

He continued: "[Brittney] represents the best about America. She wrote to me back in July, she didn't ask for special treatment, but requested a simple quote, 'Please don't forget about me and the other American detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home.' We never forgot about Brittney."

Cherelle also spoke during the news briefing, which was held at the White House, sharing: "Today my family is whole — but as you all are aware, there's so many families that are not whole. [Brittney] and I will remain committed to the work of getting every American home."

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Returning Home

The WNBA star’s plane landed in Houston, Texas, on December 9, 2022.

Roger Carstens, a U.S. State Department official who had been traveling with Griner, tweeted their arrival early that morning. “So happy to have Brittney back on US soil. Welcome home BG,” Carstens wrote.

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Her 1st Statement

Shortly after returning home, Griner broke her silence on her release. "It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to everyone for your help," she wrote via Instagram on December 16, 2022. "I am grateful to each person who advocated for me, especially my wife, Cherelle Griner, [and] my family."

After thanking several other members of her inner circle, the athlete acknowledged President Biden for his support. "President Biden, you brought me home and I know you are committed to bringing Paul Whelan and all Americans home too. I will use my platform to do whatever I can to help you. I also encourage everyone that played a part in bringing me home to continue their efforts to bring all Americans home. Every family deserves to be whole," she wrote.

Griner also addressed her future with the WNBA, stating that she intends to rejoin the Phoenix Mercury. "I look forward to being able to say 'thank you' to those of you who advocated, wrote, and posted for me in person soon," she wrote. "Love always, BG #42."

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Her Return to Basketball

Griner made her triumphant return to the WNBA in February 2023, one year after her arrest and two months after her release from prison. The Phoenix Mercury shared several shots of the athlete on the basketball court looking happier than ever in her jersey and new short hair.