Brittney Griner’s appeal to her nine-year sentence on drug smuggling charges was rejected by a Russian court on Tuesday, October 25. While there are still options for Griner to explore before beginning her sentence, her lawyers had not considered whether they would try to take her case to either of Russia’s higher courts, according to The New York Times. Her lawyers said that they would “discuss” with the WNBA player the next steps in a statement to The Times. “We generally think that we must use all the available legal tools, especially given the harsh and unprecedented nature of her verdict,” they said.
If her lawyers do not appeal the decision, Brittney, 32, will begin her nine-year sentence at a penal colony. If her legal team does not appeal again (or if the court’s decision is upheld again), it will put more pressure on US leaders to negotiate with Russia for her to be released. Before her verdict came in, there were reports that President Joe Biden was in talks to offer an exchange for her, which would send Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout back to Russia. Former NBA player Dennis Rodman had claimed that he was going to Russia to negotiate her release in August, but he subsequently walked back the claims, after a State Department spokesperson said that no one had authorized him.
Brittney’s lawyers explained that they felt there were many issues with the verdict that would help clear a path to freedom for the basketball player. “The verdict contains numerous defects and we hoped that the court of appeal would take them into consideration,” they said in the statement.
Brittney was sentenced on drug smuggling charges in August, months after she was caught with cannabis-infused vape cartridges in Moscow. Following the verdict, her lawyer Maria Blagovolina explained that the WNBA player was heartbroken by the ruling in a statement to People. “She’s devastated. She is very upset and she’s honestly quite shocked, so she needs to digest what happened today,” she said.
After Brittney was arrested and subsequently sentenced, she received an outpouring of support from a wide range of stars. President Joe Biden released a statement, calling out Russia for the sentence, after Brittney’s verdict came in. “Today, American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney. It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates. My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan home safely as soon as possible,” he said in a White House statement.