Russia seeks to exchange detained basketball player for arms dealer imprisoned in the US

The WNBA and U.S. women's basketball star Brittney Griner was detained at a Moscow airport upon landing in Russia and charged with drug trafficking last February, a crime for which she could face up to ten years in prison. Although the player traveled with only two e-cigarettes containing marijuana oil, she is still being held.

At the beginning of May, the United States already reported that it would go one step further and work with everything to secure the release of the two-time Olympic champion and seven-time WNBA All-Star. However, the current Ekaterinburg player has been in detention for more than three months and has not made any statements about what happened.

Brittney Griner’s detention has been extended 30 days by Russian authorities. Her request for house arrest has also been denied.

Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department classified Griner as “wrongfully detained” by Russia. pic.twitter.com/Bs8JKLl3Iu

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 13, 2022

Griner's representative, Lindsay Kagawa, recently confirmed that she hoped "the White House will do whatever it takes to bring her home." However, such a release is contingent on a deal between the U.S. and Russia.

#Russian businessman Viktor Bout may be swapped for #American basketball player Brittney Griner. Bout was sentenced in the U.S. to 25 years in prison for organizing arms trade and links to international terrorism, while Griner was arrested in #Russia for importing cannabis oil. pic.twitter.com/uqO0j5lSZz

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 13, 2022

The two countries are negotiating a swap in which Russia would release the basketball player if the U.S. government would do the same with Russian arms dealer Viktor But.

The so-called "merchant of death" was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the United States. "Negotiations on the exchange of But for Griner are taking place at the moment," a member of the Moscow Supervisory Commission admitted to the TASS agency. This commission is responsible for ensuring the proper functioning of Russian prisons.

WNBA star Britney Griner will be in detention in Russia for another month awaiting trial for allegedly having a drug laced oil in her luggage in February. She was playing basketball in Russia pic.twitter.com/58AA20Y4LX

— Deborah Roberts (@DebRobertsABC) May 13, 2022

This is not the first time that the United States and Russia have negotiated such agreements. Recently, former Marine Trevor Reed, who was serving nine years in prison in Russia for violent acts, was exchanged for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, in prison since 2010.