US basketball star sentenced to 9 years over drug smuggling: Russia

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A Russian court on Thursday found US basketball star Brittney Griner guilty of smuggling and storing drugs and sentenced her to nine years in prison.

The court "found the defendant guilty" of smuggling and possessing "a significant amount of narcotics," judge Anna Sotnikova told a court in the town of Khimki just outside Moscow.  

Sotnikova sentenced Griner, 31, to nine years in prison and said she would also have to pay a fine of one million rubles ($16,590).

The basketball star was detained at a Moscow airport in February after she was found carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage.

"An honest mistake"

Prosecutors had earlier requested that the two-time Olympic basketball gold medallist and Women's NBA champion be sentenced to nine and a half years in prison on drug smuggling charges.

"I made an honest mistake and I hope that your ruling doesn't end my life here," Griner said earlier Thursday.

"I want the court to understand it was an honest mistake that I made while rushing, under stress, trying to recover from post-Covid and just trying to get back to my team," she added.  

Prosecutor Nikolay Vlasenko said that "I ask the court to find Griner guilty and sentence her to nine years and six months in prison." 

Vlasenko said Griner "deliberately" proceeded through the green corridor at customs and stated she had nothing to declare "in order to conceal" the substance.

Griner's lawyer Maria Blagovolina told the court earlier Thursday that the amount of substance brought in by the athlete was "just over" the allowed amount. 

Blagovolina asked the court to acquit Griner or consider a more lenient sentence if she is found guilty.

'Proposal' for prisoner swap

Griner was detained when she came to Russia to play with UMMC Ekaterinburg club during the US off-season.

She pleaded guilty to the charges but claimed she did not intend to break the law or use the banned substance in Russia.

In previous hearings, Griner said she was regularly tested by US, Russian and European leagues.

The WNBA star said she had permission from a US doctor to use medicinal cannabis to relieve pain from her many injuries -- "from spine to cartilages."

Griner's defense team says will appeal 'unreasonable' verdict

Griner's defense team said Thursday in a statement that it will appeal the verdict, saying that "The court completely ignored all the evidence of the defense, and most importantly, the guilty plea."

"The verdict is absolutely unreasonable. We will certainly file an appeal."

US & Russia discuss potential prisoner swap

The player's trial has accelerated in recent days as the United States and Russia discuss a potential prisoner swap that could involve the basketball star. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that Washington had made a "substantial proposal" to Moscow to free Griner and former US Marine Paul Whelan, who was imprisoned on espionage charges.

A prisoner swap was also discussed during a call between Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Friday.

Russia and the United States have already conducted one prisoner swap since the start of the Ukraine war. 

Biden claims Griner sentencing 'unacceptable'

On his part, US President Joe Biden on Thursday said the Russian court's sentencing of US basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison was "unacceptable."

"Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It's unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately," Biden claimed in a statement.

The US President reiterated that he would "work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue" to repatriate Griner and another detained American in Russia, Paul Whelan.

Negotiations are reportedly underway to swap the two for Russians incarcerated in the United States.