US basketball star Brittney Griner sentenced to nine years in Russian
Griner is regarded as one of the top players in the world and has won two Olympic gold medals
RUSSIA: Brittney Griner, a great basketball player for the United States, was given a nine-year prison term in Russia for drug offences.
Griner acknowledged having cannabis oil in her possession but claimed she erred "honestly."
However, the court found her guilty of drug trafficking and possession and it nearly awarded her the maximum term suggested by the prosecution.
Griner is regarded as one of the top players in the world and has won two Olympic gold medals.
She was detained in February after vape cartridges containing cannabis oil were discovered in her luggage at an airport close to Moscow. For the US off-season, she had travelled to Russia to play club basketball.
After both parties had finished their closing statements, Griner earlier stated to the court: "I made an honest mistake, and I hope in your ruling it does not end my life."
"I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime," she added.
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