U.S. Olympic Committee joins efforts to get WNBA star Brittney Griner released from Russia
With Russia’s record on human rights, law experts say campaigning quietly for Brittney Griner’s release is the best strategy to bring her back to the U.S. safely.WASHINGTON — Over the past two months, the sports world has been keenly aware that the U.S. basketball community, led by the WNBA, has been working behind the scenes to try to secure the release of Brittney Griner after she was detained in Russia on an allegation of carrying cannabis oil in her luggage.
CEO Sarah Hirshland said in an interview Monday that the USOPC has offered its support to those organizations trying to assist Griner, who won Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. women’s basketball team in 2016 in Rio and 2021 in Tokyo. Hirshland also said that the USOPC has had conversations with the International Olympic Committee about Griner, although she said she has not spoken directly with IOC President Thomas Bach.