Photos: Change.Org\YouTube
On February 17, 2022, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was detained upon her arrival in Moscow. As of April 29, 2022, Griner was officially classified as a Wrongful Detention by the U.S. State Department, which signals that the U.S. government will seek to negotiate her release.
Griner is a beloved global citizen who has used her platform since her entry into the WNBA to help others. She was detained while working in Russia, where she has starred for Russian EuroLeague Club UMMC Ekaterinburg since 2016 – helping the team win four EuroLeague Women’s championships and seven Russian League championships.
Like many athletes competing in the WNBA, Griner – a two-time Olympic gold medalist – plays abroad during the WNBA offseason for the love of the sport, but also in exchange for substantially bigger contracts, which are not available to women’s basketball players in the U.S. Professional athletes never know when their careers will come to an end. They must compete today with tomorrow’s financial security in mind. For more than half of the athletes in the WNBA, that means moving abroad for several months of the year.
Pay inequity has led to Brittney Griner’s wrongful detention in Russia. Furthermore, as a decorated Olympian and member of an elite global sport community, Brittney’s detention must be resolved out of respect for the safety of all athletes traveling to compete internationally and the sanctity of sport.
It is imperative that the U.S. government immediately address this human rights issue and do whatever is necessary to return Brittney home quickly and safely.
The WNBPA and its members proudly join Tamryn Spruill, the creator of this petition, in demanding that lawmakers prioritize Griner’s return.
White House and Biden Administration, we ask that you take action today – doing whatever is necessary – to bring Brittney Griner home swiftly and safely.
Sign the petition below and call or email the White House today!
White House Email: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ White House Phone: (202) 456-1111
