WNBA star Brittney Griner expressed her joy for the Americans who were recently released in a major prisoner swap after being detained in Russia for years. Griner shared her excitement with reporters in Paris, where she is currently competing in basketball for Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games.
“Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day,” Griner stated. “We’ll talk more about it later. But I am head over heels happy for the families right now. Any day that Americans come home, that’s a win. That’s a win.”
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In February 2022, Griner was detained in Moscow after authorities discovered two vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her backpack. She was given a nine-year sentence by the Russian court and was held in a prison where she claimed to have received spoiled food and had limited access to sunlight. Griner was released in December 2022 as part of a prisoner swap deal between the U.S. and Russia, exchanging her for the Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
On Thursday, the U.S. women’s team secured a spot in the quarterfinals at the Paris Games by defeating Belgium 87-74. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, continues to shine on the court.
