WNBA STAR HELD ON DRUG CHARGES

Brittney Griner, who plays in Russia in the off-season, accused of carrying hashish oil in her luggage

American basketball star Brittney Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champion, has been detained in Moscow on charges of carrying vape cartridges that contained cannabis oil in her luggage.

A statement from the Russian Federal Customs Service announcing her arrest came amid soaring tensions between Moscow and the West over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It was not clear exactly how long Griner has been in custody, with the customs service saying only that the arrest occurred “in February”.

According to the statement, an inspection of hand luggage carried by a US citizen who arrived on a flight from New York “confirmed the presence of ‘vapes’ [and] a liquid with a specific smell”.

It said an expert had determined that the liquid was the narcotic cannabis oil or hashish oil and said the charges carried a potential jail term of five to 10 years.

The statement did not identify the jailed woman but said she was a two-time Olympic basketball champion for the United States and a player in the WNBA.

The customs service also released a video in which airport security are seen going through the luggage of a passenger who appears to be Griner.

USA Basketball, which oversees the Olympic teams, said on Twitter that it was “aware of and closely monitoring the legal situation facing Brittney Griner in Russia”.

It added: “Brittney has always handled herself with the utmost professionalism during her long tenure with USA Basketball and her safety and well-being are our primary concerns.”

Griner’s agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas of Wasserman Group said in a statement issued to US media that the agency was in touch with her.

“We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the WNBA and NBA,” she said.

“As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern.”

Griner, 31, led the Phoenix Mercury to the franchise’s third WNBA title in 2014 and a surprise return to the WNBA finals in October last year.

The 2.06-metre-tall centre has been playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA off-season since 2015, helping the club to three Russian domestic titles and the EuroLeague Women championships in 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Griner is among a majority of the 144 players on WNBA rosters who have played overseas during the North American league’s off season.

Earnings at European clubs can far outstrip what players make in the US.

Griner has reportedly made as much as US$1 million a year with UMMC, while the WNBA maximum is about US$228,000.

A WNBA spokeswoman told The New York Times that all WNBA players apart from Griner had left Russia and Ukraine in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of the neighbouring country.

The Phoenix Mercury, the WNBA and the WNBA Players Association all issued statements supporting Griner, with the WNBA saying that she had the league’s full support and “our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States”.