Brittney Griner Prepares For Appeal Hearing On Oct 25 In Russia

Summary

• Brittney Griner recently celebrated her 32nd birthday in a Russian jail
• NBA stars continue to show support to show that they have not forgotten her
• Griner and her legal team are preparing for an appeal on Oct 25

It was certainly not a happy birthday for Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Brittney Griner on October 18, 2022.

Griner spent her 32nd birthday in a Russian prison as she prepared for her appeal hearing with her lawyers, scheduled for October 25. The Phoenix Mercury player has been incarcerated in Russia for over 243 days now.

Griner Thanks Supporters

Griner released a statement thanking her supporters and all those who were rooting for her. The basketball star said that the overwhelming support and love from fans and fellow players gave her strength during her adverse moments. Griner managed to crack a smile on her birthday despite the tough circumstances, her lawyers said.

The player’s wife, Cherelle, said that her partner’s morale was declining as she fears languishing in oblivion while living under detention in Russia. Teammates, fans, and friends poured in with encouraging messages and statements on social media, marking Griner’s birthday. The hashtags “#WeAreBG”, “#BringBGHome” and “#FreeBG” trended on Twitter to celebrate the Olympic gold medalist and boost her spirits.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry gave Griner a shoutout during his ring celebration speech on the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) opening night. Curry who was one of the US athletes calling for her release during the ESPY’s dedicated a part of his speech to Griner, hoping for her return home.

Players such as Kyrie Irving, Udonis Haslem and Jordan Clarkson paid their respective tributes to Griner before their opening matches. Many players are hopeful that by constantly invoking Griner in some form or the other would help keep her case in the media and help secure her release from Russia soon.

Appeal Will Look To Reduce Her 9 Year Sentence

Meanwhile, Griner’s lawyers are pushing hard for her freedom. The upcoming appeal might not overturn the verdict that sentenced the pro basketballer to 9 years in prison. However, lawyers expect a positive outcome from the October 25 hearing. Maria Blagovolina, a partner at the law firm Griner is consulting, hoped for a lesser sentence. The 32-year-old player received a longer sentence than Russians who committed similar offenses.

Griner was arrested on February 17, 2022 after the Russian authorities found cannabis oil in her bags at the Sheremetyevo Airport. Her lawyers claimed that Griner only took the oil for pain and did not commit the offense knowingly.