Brittney Griner, one of the world's best basketball players, was arrested on February 17 this year at an airport in Moscow after Russian authorities said they had found e-cigarettes with traces of cannabis oil in her luggage.
Such a crime can result in up to ten years in prison in Russia.
US President Joe Biden's administration has said Griner was detained on false grounds, and US authorities are working to get her released.
Ned Price, the US State Department's spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday that his view is that the ministry had been told about the detention extension only through the Russian news agency Tass, which is problematic.
- The case is complicated right through.
That is precisely why we have characterized Brittney Griner as detained on false grounds.
That is exactly why we do everything we can to influence a quick release, he says.