The director of the Russian team that American basketball star Brittney Griner plays for has testified on her behalf amidst her trial for drug possession in Russia.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Griner was arrested in February after two vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were reportedly found in her luggage at a Moscow airport. She had been returning to Russia to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, whom she plays for in the offseason, as is common among players looking to earn more money in foreign leagues. Griner has been in jail since her February arrest, awaiting trial.
Her trial began on July 1, and on the second court date, on July 7, she pleaded guilty to the drug charges. However, in Russia, admitting guilt does not always mean the end of a trial, as is the case in the U.S.
During her third court appearance on July 14, Griner was expected to testify in court, but she did not. Instead, the director of UMMC Ekaterinburg told The Dallas Morning News that he testified as a character witness in the court located in the Moscow suburb of Khimki.
Maxim Rybatov told multiple reporters outside the courthouse that he shared Griner’s merits with the courts, telling them about the important role she played in the “success of the Ekaterinburg club and Russian women’s basketball as a whole.”
UMMC captain Evgenia Belyakova also testified in court. “I can say that Brittney has always been a very good teammate, so my role here is just to be with her, to support her,” she said.
Rybatov and Belyakova expressed happiness at having seen the basketball player. According to the director, the team had not seen her since February. “Thank God, she feels well, looks good,” Rybatov said, while Belyakova said, “We miss her very much; we miss her energy.”
Belyakova added that she hopes that Griner’s trial comes to an end soon and that it ends on a positive note for the basketball player. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is known as one of the most prominent female athletes in the United States.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they are working hard to secure her release as well as that of former Marine Paul Whelan. Biden promised Griner’s wife, Cherelle, during a July 6 call that his office would pursue “every avenue to bring Brittney home,” according to the White House.
Her arrest, however, comes in the middle of heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S. due to the former’s invasion of Ukraine. While President Joe Biden’s administration has stated that Griner is “wrongfully detained,” Russia has denied that there are any political elements to the case.
Some believe Griner’s guilty plea might be a legal strategy to expedite the court proceedings and make way for negotiations. Griner had told the court that the canisters were hers but that she had no criminal intent, and she had, in error, added it to her luggage while packing hastily. Griner’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, said that her defense team is seeking the court’s leniency.
Per The Dallas Morning News, a senior Russian diplomat said that the trial would have to be over before any action could be taken. Brittney Griner’s next trial session is scheduled for July 15, with her detention authorized through December 20. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison.
