WNBA

GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, is responding to the sentencing in Russia of beloved American basketball star Brittney Griner. On her 168th day in custody in Russia, the out LGBTQ athlete was sentenced to 9 years in prison after being accused of smuggling less than one gram of cannabis oil in her luggage while traveling to play for Russia’s UMMC Ekaterinburg women’s basketball team. Many have viewed Griner’s arrest and imprisonment as a power move by Russian authorities seeking to use her as a political pawn.