In addition to the 9-year sentence, prosecutor Nikolai Vlasenko also asked Griner to pay a fine worth one million rubles, around R$85 at the current rate.
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During the hearings, Griner's defense lawyers claimed that the athlete only used medical marijuana in the state of Arizona, in the United States, where the practice is legal. Other points raised were the athlete’s lack of a criminal record, in addition to her role in the “development of Russian basketball”.
please note that Brittney griner He is a professional athlete on two teams, one in the United States and the other in Russia. Due to inequality in sports salaries, it is common for women to play abroad during the off-season of the North American tournament to extend their contracts.
Griner's arrest further increased diplomatic tension between Russia and the United States. US President Joe Biden classified the conviction as “unacceptable”. The White House had already informed that it is working to take the player back to the USA.
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Check out questions and answers about Griner's arrest
Featured photo: Reproduction / Instagram
With information from AFP.
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