Brittney Griner: WNBPA renews calls to free player
The Girls’s Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation (WNBPA) marked the one hundredth day of Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia by renewing requires her launch.
“Brittney Griner is our teammate, our good friend, and our sister. She is a record-breaker, a gold medalist, a spouse, a daughter, a champion, a job mannequin, an all-star, and a lot extra,” the WNBA mentioned in a press release on Saturday.
“Proper now, BG is an American citizen who has been wrongfully detained in Russia for 100 days. That is 144,000 minutes.”
The 2-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested in February at a Moscow airport whereas enjoying for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the course of the WNBA offseason.
Russian authorities claimed to have discovered hashish oil in her baggage and accused her of smuggling vital quantities of a narcotic substance, an offense punishable by as much as 10 years in jail. Earlier this month, a Russian court docket prolonged the 31-year-old athlete’s pretrial detention till a minimum of June.
The US authorities has stated Griner is being wrongfully detained and the State Division is working to barter her launch.
The WNBPA’s assertion requires motion from skilled and newbie athletes, in addition to the media and followers.
“To our sisters, brothers and colleagues in skilled sports activities: signal the petition, maintain your individual media blackouts, please. Assist us attain the White Home.
“To athletes of any age, capability degree, crew, sport, or nation: that is OUR teammate. A member of OUR world sports activities neighborhood, we have to arise and stand collectively to name for her launch. Converse up, converse out, and don’t cease till BG is dwelling.
“To the media: write BG’s story. Use your platform and your voices.
“To everybody listening: go to WeAreBG.org and signal the petition, name the White Home and name everybody you already know. If you already know anybody within the Biden administration, CALL THEM.”
The assertion additionally calls on President Joe Biden to fulfill immediately with Cherelle Griner, the athlete’s spouse.
“Cherelle NEEDS to fulfill with President Biden. Her individual, our sister has been wrongfully detained for 100 days. You’ve got heard our pleas. You may have heard BG’s spouse Cherelle’s pleas. And now greater than ever, we’d like you to face with us, and get her individual dwelling.”
Earlier on Saturday, Cherelle Griner posted on her Instagram pleading for motion from President Biden: “100 days of being wrongfully detained, @potus carry BG dwelling!”
Cherelle Griner concluded the publish with a hyperlink to the petition calling for the basketball participant’s swift and secure return to the US.
On Wednesday, Cherelle Griner gave her first interview since her wife’s arrest on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” by which she mentioned she speaks to Brittney “sporadically” via letters and he or she “completely” desires to talk to President Biden about her ongoing detention.
