Home

NBA

Brittney Griner Remains Terrified to Stay “Alone Forever” While Being Stuck in the Realms of Coercive Diplomacy

Published 09/16/2022, 9:00 AM EDT

Follow Us

It’s been over six months since WNBA star Brittney Griner was arrested in Russia. She was sentenced to nine years in prison over a month ago and she remains in prison at the moment. Despite talks going on between the two countries, there have been no updates on her potential release.

Griner was arrested back in February at a Russian airport. Officials had found illegal substances on her and subsequently charged her with intent to distribute. And following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, relations between Russia and the United States have been far more strained.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Due to this, her case became subject to a political trial and the US government said that she was wrongfully detained in May.

Brittney Griner wrote a letter to Joe Biden

The US government has been in talks with Russia for a while now trying to secure her release and safe return to the US. The Biden Administration has said that they are negotiating with Russia for a prisoner swap. This would effectively mean Griner and another American citizen would be able to return home in exchange for a Russian citizen currently incarcerated in the US.

Despite 9 Years Left in Prison Sentence, WNBA Star Brittney Griner Sparks Hope in the NBA World with Three Word Message in Private Handwritten Letter

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

But this was a while ago, and there has been little progress in talks so far. It was reported that the US Secretary of State had conversations with his Russian counterpart. However, experts say that this would take some time, as both sides need to come to an amicable point.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

It was also reported that Griner was supposed to call her wife, but this did not happen due to a mixup at the US embassy in Moscow. Following this, Griner sent a letter to Joe Biden, addressing her difficulties and her fear. She said,” 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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: Is Warriors superstar Stephen Curry a billionaire?

There is still a ray of hope for Griner, as new reports suggest that the US government is sending over an expert negotiator soon. But this is bound to take some time and Griner will likely have to wait for some more time, at least until both governments are able to strike a deal.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Vishwesha Kumar

1,071Articles

One take at a time

Vishwesha Kumar is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Holder of a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Vishwesha has been writing content for about 3 years now. He has been following the NBA for nearly 10 years, since first starting off in the year 2012.
Show More>

Edited by:

Veer Badani