Obnoxious details emerge in Brittney Griner’s 15 second meet with Viktor Bout
Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout's swap
A video that was made public by the Russian state media revealed the exchange of the American basketball player Brittney Griner and the infamous Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout at a U.A.E. airport after the two governments came to an agreement to return both of them to their home countries. Interestingly, once the officials reached a settlement, the two had a brief conversation.
Brittney Griner has spent about 290 days in prison after cannabis oil was found in her luggage at a Moscow airport in February. In July, Brittney pleaded guilty to the possession charge but told the judge that she had no intentions to violate the laws. The significant deterioration in relations between Washington and Moscow that followed Russia’s war on Ukraine in February made it difficult to have her released after she was given a 9-year prison sentence.
Griner and Viktor Bout crossed paths on the runway of an airport in UAE following the conclusion of a prisoner exchange agreement between the US and Russia. The footage showed a group approaching Bout in which Griner and another man, who is believed to be a Russian official, shook Bout’s hand and gave him a hug.
The basketball player and Bout briefly met on a tarmac in Abu Dhabi, and the Merchant of Death has now shared what he said to Griner. According to the Independent, he said: “I wished her luck, she even sort of reached out her hand to me.”
Bout also added: “You should wish everyone good fortune and happiness,” and claimed that Brittney “seemed positively inclined” to him and offered her hand.
Brittney Griner’s WNBA career and her arrest in Russia
After graduating from Baylor University in 2012, where she won the Player of the Year Award and a national collegiate championship, Brittney Griner was selected by the Phoenix Mercury in the first round of the 2013 WNBA Draft, and she debuted in the league. In 2021, the 32-year-old was named one of the top 25 players in the annals of the WNBA league.
She is acknowledged as one of the top defensive players in league history. She began her professional career in 2013 with the US women’s national basketball team, and since then, she has won a WNBA championship, two Olympic gold medals, and two Olympic gold medals. She became well-known for being the first openly homosexual athlete to sign a multimillion-dollar contract with Nike.
On February 17, Russian authorities detained Griner at Sheremetyevo International Airport on the grounds that they believed she was in possession of marijuana oil-infused vape cartridges, which are illegal in that nation. Griner, like many other female basketball players, competes overseas during the WNBA offseason to maximize her income and improve her expertise.
The Russian Women’s Basketball Premier League team Griner was representing at the time of her arrest was UMMC Ekaterinburg. While adding that she had a prescription from her doctor and had packed fast, Griner said she had no idea how the cannabis oil ended up in her suitcase.
Also Read: WATCH: Brittney Griner’s prisoner-exchange video with Viktor Bout LEAKED
What comes next for the WNBA star?
The Phoenix Mercury center was taken into American control after being released from a Russian prison colony as part of a prisoner exchange. Griner would be held directly responsible for her decision to rejoin the Mercury and the WNBA. Griner earned a lot of support from other WNBA players and fans nationwide, and we might see the colossus again next year.
Who is Viktor Bout?
After the Soviet Union fell, Viktor Bout became renowned as the “Merchant of Death” for his successful weaponry trafficking. He allegedly provided both sides in the civil wars in Afghanistan and Liberia before being captured in Thailand in 2008 as part of a US undercover operation.
As a result of which, Bout was given a 25-year prison sentence in 2011 and had completed less than half of it when he was exchanged for Griner.
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Irvin Philip
(701 Articles Published)