What happened to Brittney Griner?

Dozens of U.S. athletes have been detained overseas — particularly in Russia — over the last few years. Brittney Griner is just one of many, but, as an Olympic gold medalist and pro basketball star, her story resonates the loudest.

That’s not to discount the accomplishments of the many other athletes who’ve found themselves on the wrong side of strict Russian laws, but Griner’s story continues to circulate in the wake of her 2023 release from Russian prison. She’s back on U.S. soil now, but the experience she endured while in Russian custody will stick with the 33-year-old athlete forever.

Why was Brittney Griner detained?

Griner was detained by Russian authorities on February 17, 2022 at the country’s Sheremetyevo International Airport. Airport staff discovered several cartridges containing a small amount of medically prescribed cannabis oil in Griner’s luggage, and she was promptly arrested.

Cannabis, in all its forms, is illegal in Russia, and Griner’s “mental lapse” led to a months-long incarceration. She was arrested in February of 2022 and found herself on trial by the summer. She went to court in July of 2022, pled guilty to drug charges. Russian authorities charged her with drug trafficking, despite the small amount of cannabis in her possession, and sentenced the Olympian to nine years in prison.

Griner served 294 days of her projected 3285-day prison sentence before U.S. officials successfully negotiated her release by prisoner exchange. She languished in Russian prison from August to December of 2022, before she was finally released and, on Dec. 9, she landed back on U.S. soil.

Where is Brittney Griner now?

Griner is back in the U.S. and with her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury. She played with the team during the 2023 season, but split her time between her longtime career as an athlete and her newfound career as an advocate.

Following her experience in Russia’s prison system, Griner is dedicated to bringing her fellow detained Americans back home. She’s become an outspoken proponent for wrongfully detained Americans in Russia, encouraging others via Instagram in mid-December 2022 to “continue their efforts to bring all Americans home,” adding that “Every family deserves to be whole.”

Griner has been clear, in the wake of her return, that the cannabis cartridges found in her luggage were packed by mistake. A “mental lapse” led to her hurriedly packing her bags before heading to the airport, and the cartridges that came along were added by mistake. A nine-year prison sentence based on a simple mistake is certainly harsh, but not nearly so harsh as some of the charges other detained Americans face.

If Griner has anything to say about it, those other wrongfully detained Americans will join her on U.S. soil soon. She’s dedicated to the fight for their rights, and her open advocacy for their return is already leading to progress in negotiations.