Billie Jean King thanks Joe Biden for securing the release of Brittney Griner who was arrested in Russia for the last 294 days

Billie Jean King is one of the many relieved Americans after the news of Brittney Griner‘s release was confirmed. Griner is a basketball player giving her services to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA. Griner made the headlines earlier this year when she was detained in Russia for possession of cannabis.

With the WNBA having their off-season in February, Griner traveled to play in the Russian Premier League. She was however arrested at the Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow on 17th February 2022 on smuggling charges. Griner had been using medically prescribed vaporizer cartridges that contained less than 1 gram of hashish oil but the possession of it remains illegal in Russia and she was arrested.

While the politicians in the US condemned Russia for ‘wrongfully’ detaining the player, she continued to remain in prison till the case went to trial in July first week. Griner pleaded guilty to the charges but said it was never her intention to break the law as she was using the cartridges for a long time prescribed medically.

Griner was sentenced to 9 years in prison after being found guilty in August despite many attempts by the US to secure her release. The Joe Biden-led US government finally found a way to bring Griner back home after agreeing to an exchange for “The Merchant of Death” arms dealer Viktor Bout who was serving a sentence of 25 years since 2011.

Reacting to the news of Griner’s release, Billie Jean King took to her Twitter handle to thank Biden and all involved in negotiating the release of the WNBA player. King tweeted, “Brittney Griner is free! After 294 days in Russian captivity, @POTUS negotiated a “one-for-one” prisoner swap. Thank you to President Biden, and to all those who worked so hard to secure her freedom.”

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Fans express anger over Billie Jean King’s tweet finding the trade of an arms dealer with Brittney Griner unjust

While many were rejoicing Griner’s release, quite a few were upset with the politics. King‘s tweet became a platform for those who believed Griner’s exchange with a convicted arms dealer isn’t morally correct. Quite a few put forth the case of former US Marine Paul Whelan who’s been arrested in Russia since 2018 serving a sentence of 16 years having been charged for spying.

While the Biden administration has addressed the Whelan case, they have said the situation is different and they are still trying their best to get him out of the prison.

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