US embassy in Moscow finds Brittney Griner 'in good condition' after getting consular access

So Brittney Griner is one of the best players in the W. N. B. A. Right now and arguably is one of the best players of all time at her position. She's a two time olympic gold medalist for the U. S. A. And again one of the most dominant center players for the U. S. And in the world. She makes about $225,000 a year base salary the W. N. B. A. But she's getting paid over a million dollars to play in Russia. So she's been doing it for a while. It's the nature of the business. Russia is one of the countries that pays well for W. N. B. A. Players. The teams are owned by either government municipalities or oligarchs over there who are willing to pay what it takes to be a winning team. It's a trophy for them. Many states, the United States, it's as easy to buy marijuana as to buy chewing gum. It's different in Russia and they have a rather conservative view of drugs and it is illegal to bring all sorts of drugs in the country including cannabis oil. There's certainly a lot of fake news coming out of Russia and we have these cases which seem fairly credible of planted drugs against other people that the regime wanted to get in trouble. So we don't know what really happened. And one thing I find a little worrisome is this extension of her preliminary holding from two months to three months because you have to go to a higher authority to get it lengthened. You're talking about five years not jail time, but a labor camp. She can be let off with less than that, like some short term community service. Or she could be deported as an undesirable alien, which would be perhaps the optimum outcome.

An official from the U.S. embassy in Moscow found U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner to be "in good condition," after they were recently granted consular access to the American athlete who is being detained in Russia, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told CNN on Wednesday.The embassy official was granted consular access to Griner on Tuesday, according to Price, the first official government access given to Griner since she had been detained by Russia in mid-February."We were able to check on her condition, we will continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly," Price told CNN's Poppy Harlow."Our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition and we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal," he added.Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and player for the WBNA's Phoenix Mercury, was arrested in February at a Moscow airport and accused by Russian authorities of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance — an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.A Moscow court last week extended the arrest of Griner until May 19, according to Russian news agency TASS.The investigation is ongoing and a trial date has not been set, a source close to the situation told CNN last week.Griner's legal team has had access to her and been able to see her several times a week throughout her detention in Russia.Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan met with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday and "demanded that the government of Russia follow international law and basic human decency to allow consular access to all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention."Russian state agency TASS reported that the U.S. consul has not visited Griner, despite Russian authorities' willingness to "create all conditions" for a visit.But the U.S. embassy in Moscow said it had "repeatedly asked" for consular access to Griner and other American citizen detainees "and have consistently and improperly been denied access for months." U.S. citizens Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed are also being detained in Russia.

An official from the U.S. embassy in Moscow found U.S. basketball player to be "in good condition," after they were recently granted consular access to the American athlete who is being detained in , U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price told CNN on Wednesday.

The embassy official was granted consular access to Griner on Tuesday, according to Price, the first official government access given to Griner since she had been detained by Russia in mid-February.

"We were able to check on her condition, we will continue to work very closely with her legal team, with her broader network, to see to it that she is treated fairly," Price told CNN's Poppy Harlow.

"Our official found Brittney Griner to be in good condition and we will continue to do everything we can to see to it that she is treated fairly throughout this ordeal," he added.

Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and player for the WBNA's Phoenix Mercury, was arrested in February at a Moscow airport and accused by Russian authorities of smuggling significant amounts of a narcotic substance — an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

A Moscow court last week until May 19, according to Russian news agency TASS.

The investigation is ongoing and a trial date has not been set, a source close to the situation told.

Griner's and been able to see her several times a week throughout her detention in Russia.

Earlier this week, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan met with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Monday and "demanded that the government of Russia follow international law and basic human decency to allow consular access to all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention."

Russian state agency TASS reported that the U.S. consul has not visited Griner, despite Russian authorities' willingness to "create all conditions" for a visit.

But the U.S. embassy in Moscow said it had "repeatedly asked" for consular access to Griner and other American citizen detainees "and have consistently and improperly been denied access for months." U.S. citizens Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed are also being detained in Russia.

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