The political affair surrounding US basketball player Brittney Griner, who is in prison in Russia, may have taken a new turn.
In the court hearing against the 31-year-old for violating national drug laws, the defense on Friday cited the permission of a US doctor as exculpation.
He had ordered Griner to consume cannabis for medical purposes.
Griner was arrested at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport last February.
Russian authorities have accused the athlete of drug possession and smuggling after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage.
If convicted, Griner, who pleaded guilty at the start of the trial, faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Griner case puts additional strain on relations between the USA and Russia, which were already strained as a result of the Ukraine war.
Even US President Joe Biden has promised Griner's family his full commitment to his early release, but Moscow has so far refrained from any interference.
Most recently, to avoid further political instrumentalization of the athlete, Griner's relatives contacted a negotiator experienced in hostage-taking, who is said to be trying to get Griner's return to the USA through unofficial channels.
In court, Griner's lawyer Alexander Boikow described the cannabis oil confiscated during the arrest as a medically prescribed painkiller.
The 2.06 meter tall player, who held up a photo printout of a solidarity campaign by her colleagues in the US professional league WNBA in the metal cage for the accused, suffered from "chronic pain" due to previous injuries and had therefore received an exemption, said Boikow.
The defense also emphasized Griner's personal integrity.
One day after a call for solidarity from Griner's Yekaterinburg teammates, Boikow also referred to the charitable commitment of the two-time Olympic champion.