Brittney Griner, an American basketball player, has arrived in Texas after being released from a Russian prison in a high-profile exchange for a notorious arms dealer on Thursday, December 9, glamsquad reports.
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Griner, 32, was arrested in Russia on drug charges in February and is expected to be transferred to a nearby military facility for medical examinations.
The WNBA star was exchanged for ‘Merchant of Death’ Viktor Bout, 55, who was serving a 25-year sentence in a US prison, putting an end to what President Joe Biden described as months of ‘hell’ for her and her wife.
Griner was seen getting off a plane that landed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas on Friday after flying from the UAE, where the prisoner trade occurred.
The agreement secured the release of the most prominent American detained abroad, achieving President Joe Biden’s top priority.
However, the United States was unable to secure the release of another American, Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned for nearly four years, prompting criticism of Biden from his opponents.
Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a Baylor University All-American, and a pro basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury.
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The athlete, who also played pro basketball in Russia, was detained at an airport in February after Russian authorities claimed she was carrying cannabis oil vape canisters. Prior to her conviction, the United States Griner was ‘wrongfully detained,’ according to the State Department, a charge Russia strongly denies.
The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed the swap on Thursday, saying in a statement carried by Russian news agencies that it happened in Abu Dhabi and Bout was flown home.
Biden spoke with Griner over the phone. Officials in the United States said she would be given specialized medical care and counseling.