Russia playing political games with Brittney Griner:

By: Audrey Cole TRT Reporter

WASHINGTON—The United States government reclassified WNBA Brittney Griner as being “wrongfully detained” by Russia. After the new information hit the news waves, many of the WNBA players started to speak out. The WNBA star has been held in Russia since February 2022, shortly after Russia declared war on Ukraine.

The league’s fight began after two months of silence requested by the U.S. State Department and Griner’s wife, Cherelle, as the U.S. attempted to negotiate with Russia, reported MSNBC.

According to ESPN (https://es.pn/3MPB7Tp): “the change in official designation means that the U.S. government will no longer wait for Griner's case to play out through the Russian legal system and will seek to negotiate her return. It also means that Griner's fellow WNBA players and supporters in Congress will be told they have the family's blessing to bring as much attention to her case as they wish.”

And, as such, fellow WNBA players are already fighting for Griner’s release. Contrary to the actions of the WNBA, the NBA has not advocated much for her release as of early May 2022, nor most of the sports media.

“But it looks like the men’s league and most sports media outlets cannot be bothered with what ought to be the biggest story in the sports world,” reported MSNBC (https://is.gd/trtgriner). And, sports media coverage isn’t a priority, as many claim it would have been if it were Tom Brady, for example.

In addition, Cherelle left an Instagram post on March 5 (https://is.gd/htuugs) that read “Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife’s safe return from Russia. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life. I understand that many of you have grown to love BG over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely. Thank you!”

Others react

In reaction to the announcement, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), released a statement. The NBJC is a leading Black LGBTQ+/SGL civil rights organization.

"Brittney's status change is an important moment in the movement to bring her home safely and swiftly,” said Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director at the NBJC (https://nbjc.org/). “It means there is now a two pronged approach focused on both legal and political strategies.

“It has become clear that Brittney's legal team has acted in good faith to clear her name through Russia's legal system, and that the Russian government has been actively trying to leverage Brittney's detainment for political purposes tied to their war on Ukraine. This is unfortunate, especially because Griner’s status as a Black, lesbian, woman leaves her vulnerable to increased discrimination and abuse at the hands of the racist and homophobic Russian government.

“We urge the U.S. government to do all it can to bring her home before she is no longer able to maintain her safety in a nation at war."

NBJC invites the global community to join them in solidarity with Brittney and her family by joining their global call for prayer regarding her swift and safe return home.

“We love you babe! People say ‘stay busy.’ Yet, there’s not a task in this world that could keep any of us from worrying about you,” read another IG post from Cherelle. “My heart; our hearts, are all skipping beats everyday that goes by. I miss your voice. I miss your presence. You’re our person! There are no words to express this