Russia says it has Olympic gold medal-winning USA basketball player in custody

The Russian Federal Customs Service says that officials detained former Baylor center and WNBA star Brittney Griner at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow, according to the New York Times. The Russian authorities said that they found vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage.

The initial statement from the Russian Federal Customs Service did not name Brittney Griner directly, citing a two-time Olympic gold medal winner from the United State instead. However, later video appears to show Griner at the airport wearing a mask and sweatshirt.

According to the statement, there is an ongoing criminal case into the large-scale transportation of drugs, which could carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars in Russia. She has been taken into custody while the investigation is ongoing, according to the New York Times.

Griner plays for the Russian women’s basketball team UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason, like many other American players who seek higher salaries in the more lucrative European market. However, this season many of those players have left Russia amid the ongoing conflict between the country and Ukraine.

“The few WNBA players who were competing this off-season in Ukraine are no longer in the country,” the WNBA told ESPN in a statement this week. “The league has also been in contact with WNBA players who are in Russia, either directly or through their agents. We will continue to closely monitor the situation.”

With growing tensions between Russia, Ukraine and the members of NATO throughout the past month, the situation with Brittney Griner situation is overshadowed on the world stage. However, the results of the investigation and her ability to return to the United States could have an impact on the WNBA season and the Phoenix Mercury’s roster.

More on Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner, a 31-year old WNBA veteran, started her basketball career at Baylor. She went on to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft following a national championship win to cap her college career.

Since entering the WNBA, Griner has racked up even more accomplishments to her resume. As a seven-time All-Star in nine seasons, two-time scoring champion and eight-time blocks leader, she has become one of the most popular American women’s basketball players.

She has also cemented her place in American basketball history with big performances for Team USA at the Olympics and World Cup. She has two Olympic gold medals and two World Cup Gold medals as a regular member of the USA Basketball roster.