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Brittney Griner, an Olympic basketball medalist behind bars

Brittney Griner, an Olympic basketball medalist behind bars

(CNN Spanish) — Brittney Griner, Condemnation this Thursday in Russia Nine years in prison, she is one of the top stars of women’s basketball in the United States, and has made her way through a variety of scenes. Street murals of Phoenix and the White House. She’s also an athlete who, in her own words, faced the challenges of being a woman, black and lesbian.

From high school to the Olympics

The basketball talent of Kreiner – a native of Houston, Texas, where he was born in October 1990 – was evident early: at Nimitz High School, where he regularly practiced with the boys’ team, he broke almost all records.

His career with the Orange Ball then continued at Baylor University, where Griner became one of the first players to consistently dunk in college competition. She helped the team defeat Notre Dame to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s National Championship in 2012.

In the United States Women’s Professional Basketball League, WNBA, she spent her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the championship in 2014.

But he stands out with the national team, in which he won Olympic gold.

Griner is a very public figure off the pitch as well: From creating ads to meetings with former President Barack Obama in 2012 and 2014 to Black Lives Matter street murals, his image has a strong presence, which has grown significantly since his arrest in Russia. .

Then-President Barack Obama high-fives Griner in the East Room of the White House in August 2015. Obama honors the Phoenix Mercury for winning the 2014 WNBA Finals. (Credit: Olivier Douliery/GettyImages)

A long post by Brittney Griner

Griner’s career Full of awards. He is a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

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She was recognized as a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player to receive the nomination from the Mercury franchise.

She was also selected as a six-time WNBA All-Star between 2013 and 2019.

Her record includes the WNBA Peak Performer Award as the league’s leading scorer, among other accolades.

Female, Black and Lesbian

Griner publicly revealed that she is a lesbian in 2013. Remember Encyclopaedia BritannicaAnd a year later she became the first openly gay athlete to sign an endorsement deal with Nike.

He has publicly addressed issues related to the LGBTQ+ community on several occasions. Her memoir, “In My Skin: My Life On and Off the Basketball Court,” addressed the challenges she faced as a woman, black and lesbian.

A Griner mural outside the Phoenix Footprint Center. (Credit: Rebecca Noble/The New York Times/Redux)

Griner is now married to Cheryl Watson, who actively campaigned for her release. Last month, President Joe Biden and President Kamala Harris spoke on the phone with Cherelle, who has not been quiet about her criticism of the US government’s actions.

In an interview with CNN in early July, after his wife spent more than 130 days in custody, Griner said he wanted authorities to do whatever it took and more to bring her home. “It’s very, very difficult. It’s not a situation of matching rhetoric with action.” He said then.

Britney was previously married to basketball player Glory Johnson, with whom she had twins before divorcing in 2016.

Her father, a Vietnam veteran, is Brittney Griner’s role model

The official biography of the WNBA contains interesting facts about Griner’s life and tastes. For example, he says he likes extreme sports and longboarding, he has a dog and two pet snakes, he adores Tony Hawk, and his favorite movie is “The Notebook.”

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And if he hadn’t become a basketball player, he would have followed in the footsteps of his Vietnam veteran and sheriff father: he would have been a cop.

Support from Brittney Griner and her colleagues in the US 1:40 p.m

Sentence in Russia: “I hope your judgment does not end my life here”

Griner was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in February after authorities found him Less than a gram of cannabis oil in his luggage, according to Russian prosecutors.

This Thursday, a Moscow court sentenced him to nine years in prison for drug trafficking with criminal intent, amid concerns that he is being used as a political pawn in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

His lawyers said the court ignored all the evidence they presented and will appeal the verdict. “I had no intention of violating any Russian law. I had no intention. I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime,” the star said before the verdict.

Griner pleaded guilty and explained that he had a medical prescription to use medical marijuana. He was aware of Russia’s laws, but according to his testimony, he packed hastily and the cannabis was mistakenly left in the suitcase.

Brittney Griner

(Credit: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

His arrest and investigation caused a stir International outrageThe US State Department has described his detention as illegal.

Griner, according to her campaign page for the publication, competes overseas during the WNBA offseason “for the love of the game, but in exchange for significantly larger contracts not available to women’s basketball players in the United States.” “.

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With reporting by CNN’s Anna Chernova, Zahra Ullah, Masha Angelova, Eric Levenson, Ben Church, Travis Caldwell, Abby Philip and Steve Almasi.