Support for LeBron and the women's NBA: how the case of American basketball player Greiner about drug smuggling is developing

Hearings on the case of American basketball player Brittney Griner on drug smuggling continue in the Khimki City Court.

Recall that the two-time Olympic champion was detained in mid-February at Sheremetyevo Airport.

In her luggage, hash oil was found banned in Russia.

Consideration of the case on the merits began on July 1, and at one of the meetings the athlete fully admitted her guilt.

However, she stressed that she did not have the intent to commit a crime, and put the drugs in her suitcase, as she was “going in a hurry.”

On Friday, July 15, the defense of the basketball player presented documents to the court showing that Greiner used hash oil as a medicine prescribed to her by doctors in connection with severe chronic pain.

“The attending physician gave Brittney recommendations for the use of medical cannabis.

The permission was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health, ”RIA Novosti quotes lawyer Maria Blagovolina.

The defense also attached to the case the analyzes of the basketball player, which were carried out as part of an anti-doping check: they did not reveal prohibited drugs.

The doctor of the Yekaterinburg UMMC, for which the American played, Anatoly Kalabin, spoke about the same the other day.

According to him, Brittney is "constantly under the control" of the anti-doping services, whose employees can at any time test the athlete for the use of various prohibited substances.

“Their discovery can lead to disqualification.

This happens only in the competitive period, in the out-of-competition these substances are not prohibited (by anti-doping services. -

),” Kalabin said.

He added that in seven years of speaking in Russia, no disciplinary sanctions were ever applied to the American, and said that after the coronavirus, Greiner developed a “low attention syndrome”, after which she began to take drugs prescribed in the United States.

In addition, Brittney suffers from arthrosis of the knee joints, has problems with the ankle and cervical spine, which can be a source of chronic pain.

Answering the lawyer's questions, the doctor said that the prohibited substances found in the accused could be used to relieve pain along with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Also, UMMC director Maxim Ryabkov and team captain Evgenia Belyakova spoke at the court session.

“We saw our basketball player for the first time since her detention.

Thank God, she feels well.

Our task was to tell the court about her as an athlete and a person.

We noted her great role in the success of the club and in the development of all Russian basketball.

Including thanks to her, we have risen in the Euroleague ratings.

We tried to answer the questions that the prosecutor had, ”Ryabkov told reporters.

He also noted that Greiner's contract expired in April during the investigation, but the club will nevertheless try to provide assistance to the athlete as their "sports comrade".

In turn, Belyakova noted that she considers it her duty to support the American and be there at such a moment.

“We really miss her, miss her energy.

I was very glad to see her.

I hope the process ends well for her soon.

Brittney is the leader and heart of our team, a unique and intelligent basketball player.

With her arrival, we have had grandiose results.

With her, I became the champion of the Euroleague four times.

Being on the court with her is a pleasure.

Fans adore her, ”Sport-Express quotes the words of the captain of the UMMC.

Meanwhile, actions in support of the compatriot continue in the United States.

So, last week, football player Megan Rapino went to a reception at the White House in a jacket, on the lapel of which the initials BG were embroidered.

The athlete received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from the hands of Joe Biden, the highest civilian award in the country, and then posted a question addressed to the head of state on one of the social networks.

“Are we doing everything necessary and using every possible means to bring her home?”

Rapino wrote.

LeBron James raised a similar question.

“After everything that's happened, can she feel like America has her back?

In her place, I would think about whether I even want to return to America?

— said the basketball player in the show The Shop.

Do not forget about a colleague in the Women's National Basketball Association.

So, the participants of the recent All-Star Game spent the second half of the meeting in T-shirts with the name and game number Greiner.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the league behind the scenes forbade the players to enter into contracts with Russian clubs.

This was confirmed by Nika's general manager Oleg Khramkin.

"This is true.

They were given a choice: WNBA or Russia.

So we will no longer see many top legionnaires who played in the Premier League, ”he said.

At the same time, representatives of the US diplomatic mission admit that the American athlete in Russia is treated with due respect.

“During the hearing, it became clear that both in the United States and here in Russia, where Ms. Griner has been playing basketball for a Russian club for seven years, she enjoys great respect and recognition not only for her professional achievements, but also for her character and decency,” said Elizabeth Rood, deputy head of the American embassy in Moscow.

The next court hearing in the Greiner case is scheduled for July 26, on which day the basketball player herself should be interrogated.