State Department: WNBA’s Griner wrongfully detained in Russia

The Biden administration has determined that WNBA star Brittney Griner is being wrongfully detained in Russia, meaning the United States will more aggressively work to secure her release even as the legal case against her plays out, the State Department

said Tuesday.

“The U.S. government will continue to undertake efforts to provide appropriate support to Ms. Griner,” the department said.

Griner was detained at an airport in February after Russian authorities said a search of her bag revealed vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis. Since then,

U.S. officials had stopped short of classifying the Phoenix Mercury player as wrongfully detained and said instead their focus was on ensuring that she had access to American consular affairs officials.

The WNBA said it will honor Griner with a floor decal and allow the Mercury to pay her without it counting against the

team’s salary cap.

ETC.

Soccer: Liverpool rallied after an early scare to defeat Villarreal 3-2 and advance to its third Champions League final in five seasons.

NFL: The league hired 10 new on-field officials, including the first Asian American to officiate in the league and a former player. Lo van Pham joins the NFL from the Big 12 Conference. He was born in Vietnam and after a stop in the Philippines, moved to the United

States when he was seven. Mike Morton becomes the third former NFL player on the 2022 roster of officials, joining Nate Jones and Terry Killens.

Tennis: Novak Djokovic, trying to regain his best form after a slow start to the season, looked sharp in his opener at the Madrid Open, defeating

Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 to advance to a third-round match against Andy Murray. Teenage sensation

Carlos Alcaraz defeated

Nikoloz Basilashvili,

6-3, 7-5.