By Gabriel Rule
Experts say tensions between the US and Russia have made Brittney Griner's situation worse.
(AP Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko)
US basketballer Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to a drugs charge in a Russian court.
Ms Grinner says she had "no intent" to break the law, and has appealed directly to President Joe Biden to step-up US efforts to bring her home.
The current political climate — where the US has imposed sanctions against Russia after its military invasion of Ukraine — has seen her transformed from a lucrative sports star to a potential bargaining chip in President Vladimir Putin's conflict with the West.
At the moment Ms Griner is facing up to 10 years in prison.
Here's what we know.
Who is Brittney Griner?
At 205 centimetres tall and with two Olympic gold medals under her belt, Ms Griner — or "BG" as she is known to basketball fans — is one of the most recognisable figures in American basketball. Currently, she plays centre in for Phoenix Mercury.
She's also a fierce advocate for LGBT rights.
Basketball journalist and author Tamryn Spruill said Ms Griner was an "icon" of the game whose openness about her sexuality had prompted lasting improvements in the sport's treatment of LGBT players.
What happened to her?
For the past seven years, Ms Griner has flown to Russia during the US Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) off-season to play for a Russian team, which usually made her an additional $US1 million ($1.36 million) per season.
Earlier this year, she made her now annual trip overseas in search of her pay cheque. However, her trip didn't go as planned.
On March 6, Russian Customs officials said they had detained an athlete who arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from New York on February 17.
The agency released a video showing what it said was a security screening of a "US citizen, two-times Olympic basketball champion".
It was Ms Griner.
In a statement, the Russians claimed vape cartridges containing "liquid with hashish oil", a substance illegal in Russia, were found in her luggage and that a criminal case had been opened. Ms Griner has been held in custody ever since.
Since then she's pleaded with Mr Biden to secure her release. She's even sent him a handwritten note.
"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 in the letter.
"I realise you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home".
Mr Biden said he was doing "everything in his power" to bring Ms Griner home.
Ms Griner faced a Russian court on July 6.
"I'd like to plead guilty, your honour," she told the judge.
"But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law."
Why is this an international issue?
It's all about timing.
The Russians say Ms Griner was arrested less than a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, when tensions between Moscow and Washington reached boiling point. The US had imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow, and Russia had raised the spectre of nuclear war as American weapons flooded into Ukraine.
Some experts are worried Ms Griner is now caught in a much broader geopolitical battle.
The fear is she might be a "pawn" for the Kremlin in a new cold war.
"It is an extremely serious situation," Tom Firestone — a Washington-based lawyer who spent eight years working for the Department of Justice at the US embassy in Moscow — told the ABC.
"The current political situation makes her situation much worse."
Mr Firestone said he was not sure whether Ms Griner's arrest was connected to the situation in Ukraine, especially if, as the Russians say, it occurred on February 17, before Russia's invasion on February 24.
He also said the current political atmosphere meant Ms Griner could be treated differently than other detainees.
"That may get special attention from law enforcement. They may be more reluctant to negotiate a plea agreement with her, or to dismiss the case, because she's an American," he said.
US basketballer Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to a drugs charge in a Russian court.
Ms Grinner says she had "no intent" to break the law, and has appealed directly to President Joe Biden to step-up US efforts to bring her home.
The current political climate — where the US has imposed sanctions against Russia after its military invasion of Ukraine — has seen her transformed from a lucrative sports star to a potential bargaining chip in President Vladimir Putin's conflict with the West.
At the moment Ms Griner is facing up to 10 years in prison.
Here's what we know.
Who is Brittney Griner?
At 205 centimetres tall and with two Olympic gold medals under her belt, Ms Griner — or "BG" as she is known to basketball fans — is one of the most recognisable figures in American basketball. Currently, she plays centre in for Phoenix Mercury.
She's also a fierce advocate for LGBT rights.
Basketball journalist and author Tamryn Spruill said Ms Griner was an "icon" of the game whose openness about her sexuality had prompted lasting improvements in the sport's treatment of LGBT players.
Brittney Griner played for the US team at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.(Reuters: Sergio Perez)
What happened to her?
For the past seven years, Ms Griner has flown to Russia during the US Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) off-season to play for a Russian team, which usually made her an additional $US1 million ($1.36 million) per season.
Earlier this year, she made her now annual trip overseas in search of her pay cheque. However, her trip didn't go as planned.
On March 6, Russian Customs officials said they had detained an athlete who arrived at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on a flight from New York on February 17.
The agency released a video showing what it said was a security screening of a "US citizen, two-times Olympic basketball champion".
It was Ms Griner.
In a statement, the Russians claimed vape cartridges containing "liquid with hashish oil", a substance illegal in Russia, were found in her luggage and that a criminal case had been opened. Ms Griner has been held in custody ever since.
Since then she's pleaded with Mr Biden to secure her release. She's even sent him a handwritten note.
"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 in the letter.
"I realise you are dealing with so much, but please don't forget about me and the other American detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home".
Mr Biden said he was doing "everything in his power" to bring Ms Griner home.
Ms Griner faced a Russian court on July 6.
"I'd like to plead guilty, your honour," she told the judge.
"But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law."
Why is this an international issue?
It's all about timing.
The Russians say Ms Griner was arrested less than a week before Russia invaded Ukraine, when tensions between Moscow and Washington reached boiling point. The US had imposed sweeping sanctions on Moscow, and Russia had raised the spectre of nuclear war as American weapons flooded into Ukraine.
Some experts are worried Ms Griner is now caught in a much broader geopolitical battle.
The fear is she might be a "pawn" for the Kremlin in a new cold war.
"It is an extremely serious situation," Tom Firestone — a Washington-based lawyer who spent eight years working for the Department of Justice at the US embassy in Moscow — told the ABC.
"The current political situation makes her situation much worse."
Mr Firestone said he was not sure whether Ms Griner's arrest was connected to the situation in Ukraine, especially if, as the Russians say, it occurred on February 17, before Russia's invasion on February 24.
He also said the current political atmosphere meant Ms Griner could be treated differently than other detainees.
"That may get special attention from law enforcement. They may be more reluctant to negotiate a plea agreement with her, or to dismiss the case, because she's an American," he said.
Brittney Griner is escorted before a court hearing on July 7.
(Reuters: Evgenia Novozhenina)
What happens next?
That's still murky.
The next court hearing has been scheduled for July 14, when Ms Griner is likely to testify.
There is talk of a potential prisoner swap between the Kremlin and the US, but a top Russian official indicated no steps could be taken until the case was complete.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said Ms Griner could appeal her sentence or apply for clemency once a verdict has been delivered.
In the meantime, the Phoenix Mercury say "they love and support Brittney" and are most concerned about securing her safe return home.
US basketballer Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drugs charge in Russian court
That's still murky.
The next court hearing has been scheduled for July 14, when Ms Griner is likely to testify.
There is talk of a potential prisoner swap between the Kremlin and the US, but a top Russian official indicated no steps could be taken until the case was complete.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has said Ms Griner could appeal her sentence or apply for clemency once a verdict has been delivered.
In the meantime, the Phoenix Mercury say "they love and support Brittney" and are most concerned about securing her safe return home.
US basketballer Brittney Griner pleads guilty to drugs charge in Russian court
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