Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brittney Griner, a star player for the US basketball team, was found guilty of narcotics possession and smuggling by a Russian court on Thursday and given a nine-year prison term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite Griner’s claims that it was a “honest mistake,” Judge Anna Sotnikova stated in her decision that Griner had committed the offense “deliberately.”<\/p>\n\n\nRead more: Russian court sentences Brittney Griner to nine years behind bars<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n

The sentencing, according to US President Joe Biden, serves as a reminder that the American basketball star is being “wrongfully detained” by Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It\u2019s unacceptable and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends and teammates,” Mr Biden said in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Griner has 10 days to appeal, and her lawyers said they expect a hearing at a Moscow court next week. Alexander Boykov, a lawyer for Griner, said the sentence was too harsh and that Russians typically receive a suspended sentence for similar crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Griner, described as one of the greatest players in WNBA history, was detained in February after police said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage upon landing at Moscow\u2019s Sheremetyevo Airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her final remarks during the trial, Griner said she had not intended to break Russian law by bringing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil into the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI made an honest mistake and I hope in your ruling, it does not end my life,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Input from AP<\/strong> was used in this article<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk : dhakamirror.com Brittney Griner, a star player for the US basketball team, was found guilty of narcotics possession and smuggling by a Russian court on Thursday and given a nine-year prison term. Despite Griner’s claims that it was a “honest mistake,” Judge Anna Sotnikova stated in her decision that Griner had committed the … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[14830,14829,14831],"yoast_head":"\n