Russia to put WNBA star Griner on trial from July 1
US basketball star Brittney Griner, who is in detention in Russia on drug charges, will go on trial in the country on Friday, a court said on Monday. Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February after she was found carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. She was charged with drug smuggling, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison in Russia. Griner's detention came days before Russian President Vladimir Putin defied US warnings and sent troops into Ukraine, prompting Western powers to impose sweeping sanctions and send military aid to Kyiv. A court in the town of Khimki outside Moscow said on Monday that Griner's trial will begin on July 1. Griner's lawyer said the court had extended her detention for the duration of the trial. "This was absolutely expected," he said. Washington says that Russia has "wrongfully detained" the six-foot-nine basketball star, 31, and turned her case over to the US special envoy in charge of hostages. The WNBA has also said it is working to bring Griner home. She was playing club basketball in Russia before the resumption of the US season, a common practice for American stars seeking additional income. (AFP)