Veteran emissary Richardson hopeful for Griner swap

WASHINGTON » Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a frequent emissary in hostage negotiations, said Tuesday he was hopeful about the chances of a two-for-two prisoner swap that could result in Russia’s release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan.

In cases like this, Richardson said in an interview with The Associated Press, “it’s proportional — two-for two.”

Richardson, who traveled to Russia in advance of the release by Moscow of Marine veteran Trevor Reed in an April prisoner swap, declined to discuss the current status of negotiations with Russia over Griner or Whelan or to explain what role he may be playing in the talks.

But he said he felt “relatively positive” for several reasons. For one, the conclusion of the criminal case against Griner last week — she was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges — provides an opening for diplomatic negotiations to begin in earnest. Plus, he said, the U.S. and Russia already have shown a willingness to carry out prisoner swaps, as evidenced by the Reed exchange. And Griner’s strategy of expressing contrition before a Russian court was important.

“And that is why I think a two-for-two deal is hopefully a likely outcome,” Richardson said.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of revealing publicly last month that the U.S. in June made a “substantial proposal” to get Griner and Whelan home. He did not elaborate, but the AP and other news organizations have reported that the U.S. has offered to free Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who is serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. and once earned the nickname the “Merchant of Death.”

Russia made a counteroffer that the U.S. did not regard as serious, the White House has said.

It is not clear which other Russian could be included in a two-for-two deal, assuming it happens.

Griner has acknowledged there were vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage when she was arrested at a Moscow airport in February. But she insisted that she had no criminal intent and that the canisters ended up in her luggage because she was packing hastily. Griner played for a Russian women’s basketball team in the WNBA off-season.

Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, was sentenced in 2020 to 16 years in prison on espionage-related charges he and his family say are manufactured. The U.S. government regards both him and Griner as wrongful detainees.

NFL SEASON LIKELY OVER FOR JETS’ BECTON »

New York Jets right tackle Mekhi Becton will “more than likely” miss the entire season because of another injury to his surgically repaired right knee, coach Robert Saleh announced Tuesday.

Becton was having a second evaluation after suffering a chip fracture to his kneecap, Saleh confirmed, during the second play of 11-on-11 team drills Monday. The initial prognosis was optimistic, but an MRI later in the day revealed more damage to the knee than first expected.

“It’s probably the inevitable,” Saleh said of the severity of the injury. “I’m just sick for Mekhi.”

When asked to clarify if Becton’s season appears over, Saleh said: “Yeah, it’s more than likely.” BRONCOS SALE APPROVED » The record $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to Walmart heir Rob Walton and his daughter and son-in-law was unanimously approved Tuesday by NFL owners, the expected final step in the transfer from the family of the late Pat Bowlen.

The vote was taken at a league meeting at a hotel in Minnesota, where Walton, his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner, were introduced to the media by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. BEARS’ LB SMITH REQUESTS TRADE » Chicago Bears star linebacker Roquan Smith is requesting a trade, saying the team has not negotiated in good faith for a contract extension.

Smith, who does not have an agent, wrote Tuesday in a statement to NFL. com that he has “officially” asked to be dealt and that it was “deeply painful.” He said he has been trying to negotiate an extension since April and accused the team of trying to take advantage of him.