Topline
Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association, called for Brittney Griner’s safe return from Russia on Good Morning America Tuesday, after commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Griner’s homecoming is the league’s “top priority.”
Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury during Game Three of the 2021 WNBA semifinals at Desert … [+]
Key Facts
Ogwumike said it was important for players to be “intentional” about how they spoke about Griner’s case so they didn’t “compromise her coming home,” referring to comments made by former WNBA star Lisa Leslie that the women’s basketball community was told “to not make a big fuss” about Griner’s detainment so she couldn’t be used “as a pawn.”
Ogwumike said gender issues like pay disparity contributed to Griner’s situation, as she was over in Russia playing during her WNBA off-season because players can make more money overseas than they do in the U.S., and are paid much lower than NBA players.
A spokesperson for the State Department told GMA that Griner had not received a consular visit since March 23, and said the agency is “closely engaged on this case” and is in “frequent contact with Ms. Griner’s legal team.”
At Monday’s WNBA draft, Engelbert said the league is “trying everything we can, every angle” to “find ways to get her home safely and as quickly as we can.”
The Phoenix Mercury, Griner’s team, plans to pay Griner her full 2022 salary, according to ESPN.
Engelbert said the league’s players “have been amazing at following the advice” they’re receiving “in order not to jeopardize [Griner’s] safety in any way.”
Crucial Quote
“BG is us, we are BG. That could have been us,” Ogwumike said.
Key Background
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time WNBA all-star, was detained at a Russian airport in February when security agents reportedly discovered vape cartridges containing hash oil in her luggage. News of her arrest didn’t break until March. The charges carry up to 10 years in prison. Last month, Griner’s detention in Russia was extended until May. U.S. officials said they were denied consular access to Griner, though it was ultimately gained on March 23. At the time, the state department said Griner was in “good condition.”
Further Reading
Brittney Griner In ‘Good Condition,’ U.S. Reports After Finally Visiting With WNBA Star (Forbes)
U.S. Pushes For Consular Access To WNBA Player Brittney Griner (Forbes)
WNBA Star Brittney Griner’s Detention In Russia Reportedly Extended Until May (Forbes)
WNBA Player Brittney Griner Reportedly Detained In Russia On Drug Charges (Forbes)
Why It Seems Like The World Has Abandoned Brittney Griner (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2022/04/12/wnba-players-commissioner-call-for-brittney-griners-return-from-russia/