A Russian court on Thursday sentenced US basketball star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison over drug smuggling as US President Joe Biden called the ruling “unacceptable”. (AFP)The court “found the defendant guilty” of smuggling and possessing “a significant amount of narcotics”, judge Anna Sotnikova told a court in the town of Khimki just outside Moscow. “I love my family,” Griner told journalists after the ruling as the six-foot-nine (2.06 metres) athlete was led away by members of Russia’s law enforcement. Griner’s trial accelerated in recent days as the United States and Russia discuss a potential prisoner swap that could involve the basketball star. National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association leaders said the athlete’s sentence was “unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected”.

Source: Manila Times August 05, 2022 13:09 UTC