Brittney Griner's Wife, Cherelle, Posts 1st Statement on Detainment

News broke on Saturday that basketball star Brittney Griner had been detained by Russian authorities sometime in February. Griner, who is a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was in Russia in order to play for UMMC Yekaterinburg, a local team.

According to Russian authorities, Griner was detained because she was found to be in the possession of hashish oil while at the Sheremetyevo airport near Moscow. She reportedly could face up to 10 years in a Russian prison, but an investigation is ongoing.

Griner is married to Cherelle Griner, who appears to not have traveled with her to Russia.

"Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me regarding my wife's safe return from Russia," Cherelle wrote on Instagram Saturday after the news broke. "Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated. I love my wife wholeheartedly, so this message comes during one of the weakest moments of my life. I understand that many of you have grown to love [Britney Griner] over the years and have concerns and want details. Please honor our privacy as we continue to work on getting my wife home safely."

The Griners got married in 2019.

News of Brittney Griner's detainment was first released by Russian authorities and then covered by Russian media. Some have noted that this may mean that those working on Griner's behalf were not interested in the news becoming widely known given the length of time that has passed. Some have reported Griner has been detained for three weeks.