Russia says it arrested WNBA star Brittney Griner, and questions abound

Russian state media reported over the weekend that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was detained at the airport with cannabis vape cartridges in her suitcase, but there are no public details on when she was arrested, where she is being detained, or why she did not leave Russia with other U.S. athletes right after the country invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The WNBA said Saturday that all of its players, except Griner, are out of Russia.

Griner has spent her entire professional career with the Phoenix Mercury, but like many WNBA players, she spends the offseason playing overseas, where basketball players can earn significantly more money. Griner has played for the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2015, and she helped them win the EuroLeague Women championship last year. She is one of the world's best women's basketball players and one of the most prominent openly gay athletes.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.