During the fourth hearing in Griner’s case on Friday, defense lawyer Maria Blagovolina said an American “doctor she was attending gave Brittney recommendations on the use of medical cannabis.” “The permit was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health,” she said in a courtroom just outside Moscow, where the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star trial is being held. Blagovolina also told Reuters news agency that Griner’s defense team provided written evidence to the court on Friday, including a “doctor’s note about the substance Brittney Griner inadvertently left among her belongings when she crossed the border.” Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was arrested at the Russian capital’s airport in February after vaporizers containing cannabis oil were discovered in her luggage. Last week she pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling but said she had no intention of committing a crime. Her detention, which comes at a time of rising tensions between the United States and Russia over the war in Ukraine, has prompted calls from Griner’s teammates and many others for US President Joe Biden to secure her immediate release. The administration said Griner is being “unlawfully detained” by Russian authorities and that her case is a priority. “I will reiterate the commitment of the United States government at the highest levels to the safe return of Brittney Griner and all U.S. citizens who are being held illegally,” Elizabeth Rudd, charge d’affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, said after Friday’s hearing. . A guilty plea does not automatically end a trial in Russia’s judicial system, and Griner argued that she did not intend to break the law and had accidentally included the canisters in her luggage after packing quickly. Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, was scheduled to play for Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg in the U.S. this offseason – a common move for WNBA players who can make much more money playing overseas. The WNBA star has received support from Russian sports figures, including UMMC Ekaterinburg club boss Maxim Ryabkov, who appeared at a hearing Thursday to praise Griner’s good character. Ryabkov told the court that Griner demonstrated “excellent abilities as a player and a personal contribution to strengthening team spirit.” “We miss her a lot, her energy,” UMMC Ekaterinburg captain Yevgenia Belyakova also told reporters this week, adding that she wanted to “stand by [Griner] in these moments.” Griner is brought before a court in Khimki outside Moscow, July 15, 2022 [Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters] In the US, teammates, loved ones and advocacy groups called on the Biden administration to work towards Griner’s release. On July 4, America’s Independence Day, the WNBA players’ union tweeted that it was “hard to enjoy a day meant to celebrate independence when one of our own citizens, Brittney Griner, is wrongfully detained in Russia.” Biden spoke to Griner’s wife earlier this month and said the US was pursuing “every avenue” to bring her home. Meanwhile, Russian officials played down suggestions that Griner could be freed in a prisoner swap with the US. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted that until her trial is over, “there are no official or procedural reasons to talk about further steps.” Ryabkoff also warned that descriptions of Griner as an “unlawful detainee,” a designation issued by the US State Department, make it “difficult to engage in detailed discussion of any possible exchanges.” Sitting in the defendant’s metal cage during Friday’s hearing, Griner held up a printed photo of fellow WNBA players who wore jerseys with her number, 42, during a game in Chicago earlier this month. He was wearing a Nirvana T-shirt and smiled as he held on to the metal bars. The defense team told the court he had “chronic pain” from sports injuries. She also provided documents to prove her basketball achievements and her contributions to charities. “She is tired,” another of her lawyers, Alexander Boykov, told reporters after the hearing.
