WNBA star Brittney Griner will have her detention extended by 30 days after she appeared in a Moscow court for a hearing.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was detained at the Moscow airport after vape cartridges containing oil derived from cannabis were allegedly found in her luggage, which could carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The Biden administration says 31-year-old Griner is being wrongfully detained. The WNBA and U.S. officials have worked toward her release, without visible progress.
The 31-year-old has been one of the league’s most prolific stars since her 2013 professional debut. She is a seven-time All-Star and consistently one of the WNBA’s top scorers.
Despite her stardom in the WNBA, unlike her counterparts in the NBA, she also plays professionally overseas.
The U.S. State Department said earlier this week it would not discuss efforts on freeing Griner from Russian custody.
