US basketball player Brittney Griner must remain in a Russian prison at least until shortly before Christmas.
As the Russian state news agency Tass reported, citing a Moscow court, the 31-year-old's detention was extended until December 20.
More than four months after Griner's arrest on charges of drug possession at Moscow Airport, the competent court had set the trial against the athlete to begin on July 1, according to Tass.
After that, the court also ordered that Griner must remain in custody for the duration of the proceedings.
Arrested at the airport
On Monday, Griner appeared for the first time for a preliminary hearing before the court in the Moscow suburb of Khimki.
The hearing took place behind closed doors.
The American faces up to ten years in prison.
The case comes at a time when US-Russia relations are at an all-time low over Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
Griner was arrested on February 17 at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport on charges of drug possession.
The two-time Olympic champion and star player led her team Phoenix Mercury to their third title in the North American professional league WNBA in 2014 and in 2021 she and her team made it to the final again.
Since 2015, Griner has also played during the WNBA break at UMMC Yekaterinburg.
Except for the Olympic champion of 2016 and 2021, all players from the US league left Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.
Many women from the WNBA play off-season in European basketball leagues, including Russia and Ukraine.
This improves their salary.