Griner sentenced, player appeals

American basketball player Brittney Griner is appealing her drug possession conviction handed down by a Moscow court. The appeal comes two weeks after the basketball champion was sentenced to nine years in prison. Her lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, announced this decision with a statement on Telegram, at a time when the United States and Russia are negotiating a possible prisoner exchange. Griner was arrested on February 17 at Moscow airport in possession of cannabis oil. After pleading guilty during her trial and claiming she made a “mistake,” she was sentenced to nine years in prison for a crime of drug possession and smuggling. The White House, for which Griner’s arrest was unfair. , has offered to exchange the player and former marine Paul Whelan – jailed in Russia on suspicion of espionage – in exchange for the arms dealer Viktor Bout, known as the ‘war merchant’, who must serve a sentence of 25 years in prison in the United States.