At the trial on August 4, prosecutors demanded a 9 and a half years in prison and a fine of 1 million rubles on the defendant. State prosecutors insisted on the intentional nature of the crime—Greener said at the airport that she did not carry drugs. But in fact, many American athletes carry drugs and have the possibility of drug trafficking.
Greiner's lawyer Maria Blagovolinskaya asked the court to give athletes a lighter punishment.
"I would ask the court to acquit my client, but if the court considers it impossible, then I think it is necessary to give her more punishment, given Grena's personality, the role she plays in the development of Russian basketball. Use Article 64 of the Russian Federation's Criminal Law (lower than the minimum clause of this article) and Article 73 of the Criminal Law (conditionally) lenient judgments," said Blago Volina.
The American basketball player himself pleaded guilty again. She also interpreted the incident as a “mistake” due to post-COVID stress.
"I want to apologize to my teammates for the mistakes I have made, for that shame. I also want to apologize to my citizens' wives, parents, siblings. I don't want to violate the laws of the Russian Federation. I hope that in my judgment, you won't end my life," the athlete added.
Greener career
American women's basketball superstar Britney Greener is a real phenomenon in her sport. The 31-year-old athlete has two Olympic gold medals, four women's European League championships, and has won numerous victories in the women's NBA and NCAA championships. Grena, who is 206 cm tall, has achieved best performance twice, and even entered the top 25 best players in women's NBA history.
Britney was born in Houston, Texas. She is an active kid - participates in karting competition and loves sports. Greiner stands out among her classmates: she is thin and big, wearing men's shoes and loose clothes. As a teenager, Britney began to get involved in basketball and even trained in the men's team. After graduating from high school, she entered Baylor University to play for the local team. By 2012, the American became the best basketball player of the year and the best student. Every year, athlete statistics only improve.
Greiner signed a multi-year contract with Phoenix Mercury in 2017. Britney is recognized as one of the best basketball players in the world. During the offseason, the title athlete competed abroad. She has been playing for Yekaterinburg UMMC since 2015, and in an interview she admitted that in Russia, her “salary is six zeros”.
Detained an American basketball player
In February 2022, Grener found himself at the center of an international scandal. The athlete was arrested at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport for importing banned substances. The girl is returning to Russia from New York. As Britney walked through the green corridor, her luggage caught the attention of the service dog. Customs officers found two electronic evaporators in Greiner’s suitcase filled with a green liquid, which turned out to be cannabis oil.
According to the article "Massive Drug Smuggling", a criminal lawsuit was filed against the athlete.
It was not until early July that Greiner fully admitted his crime.
Greener's trial
The basketball player did not object to the allegations against her. On March 17, the court heard the athlete’s defense complaint against her arrest. Greiner's lawyers say it's illegal. According to them, Britney was arrested 48 hours after the law stipulates. During the trial, the basketball star was held in a special facility. The American woman's defense lawyer considered it "serious violation of the law" and asked for house arrest to replace the detention center in the pretrial detention center.
On June 2, the Moscow Regional Court rejected the basketball player's lawyer's appeal to extend her arrest.
According to Elizabeth Luther, deputy director of the U.S. Embassy in Russia, millions of Americans follow the fate of the basketball player.
“I had the opportunity to talk to Ms. Greiner.Despite the difficult circumstances, she was in good condition as expected. She also asked me to assure her that she was in good spirits and was still loyal,” Rud said.
She said it was illegal to detain the basketball player and that the U.S. Embassy is "working" to send Greener back to the United States.
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