via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
via Getty
US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. – Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her luggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-year prison sentence. (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
Brittney Griner like many other WNBA stars traveled to Russia during the WNBA offseason in February. However, the Phoenix Mercury center found herself in a tricky situation when she landed at a Moscow Airport. The customs officers detained her for finding vape cartridges filled with cannabis oil in her luggage. A Russian court handed Griner a nine-year sentence since then, and her appeal has also been denied recently. Amid the chaos, it is strange to see the lack of effort from the billionaire owners of BG’s Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg, who helped her make $1 million away from the WNBA.
Several WNBA stars travel abroad to play in foreign leagues to earn more money than they make at home. Brittney Griner once raised the issue and claimed the lesser salary in WNBA was why women athletes had to look for gigs overseas. She also admitted to making over $1 million playing away from the WNBA. Unfortunately, the people who helped her make that kind of money have refrained from helping her out so far.
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Who helped Brittney Griner make $1 million?
Brittney Griner has played in foreign leagues since 2013 when she joined the Chinese league team Zheijang Golden Bulls for one season. After that, Griner played for the Russian league team UMMC Ekaterinburg for seven years. The Russian league franchise is owned by 2 billionaire oligarchs, Iskander Makhmudov and his business partner, Andrei Kozitsyn. The two Russian billionaires made their money by running the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, a major producer of zinc, coal, copper, gold, and silver in Russia.
From the profits of their successful company, Makhmudov and Kozitsyn invested in Russian women’s basketball and other local sports like motorcycle racing, table tennis, hockey, and martial arts, among others. The two Russian business tycoons are believed to be close to the Russian President Vladimir Putin. They were among 13 of the wealthiest oligarchs called by the Russian president during the day of the Ukrainian invasion.
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The meeting was called to inform the businessmen that the invasion was a ‘necessary measure’. Putin also warned them about the economic sanctions from the US and European Union.
Russian Oligarchs silent on Griner’s detainment
Despite their close relations with Putin, Mukhmudov and Kozitsyn have kept silent about Brittney Griner’s detainment. They have not been known to have made any request to Vladimir Putin about the release of Griner, a renowned athlete in Russia.
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Griner has been an enormous asset for Ekaterinburg over the years. Meanwhile, she acquired over $1 million for her time in the Russian league. Hence, the inaction from the team owners has been puzzling so far.
