It has been months since Brittney Griner had first been arrested in Russia in February, hoping to return to home soil soon. However, the WNBA star is reportedly losing hope that she’ll be able to come back before serving her nine-year prison sentence.

The Phoenix Mercury star just spent her 32nd birthday behind Russian bars.? Moreover, she even issued a “thank you” message to her supporters. “Thank you everyone for fighting so hard to get me home. All the support and love are definitely helping me,”?she said in a statement released by her attorneys. Griner, however, is said to be extremely stressed about her appeal hearing for her nine-year prison sentence on drug possession charges, according to her attorneys.

Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, her attorneys, claimed that the WNBA star is giving up hope. A Russian court has scheduled her appeal for October 25th; nevertheless, she believes she will not be freed before her nine-year term is up.

“Today is of course a difficult day for Brittney,” Blagovolina said. She noted that not only did she spend her birthday away from her loved ones, but she is also under a mountain of stress because of the upcoming appeal hearing.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist was detained by Russian officials at an airport in Moscow. Police said that they found cannabis-infused vape cartridges in her luggage. Griner was subsequebtly sentenced to nine years behind Russian bars in August. Notably, the 6-foot-9 center?plays for the UMMC Ekaterinberg during the WNBA off-season, which is why she was in Russia earlier this year.

Brittney Griner has been on the receiving end of mainstream support

Several athletes from the NBA and WNBA, as well as athletes from other sports, have spoken up in support of Brittney Griner’s release. Recently, as the NBA season tipped off, players around the league voiced their support for her release before their team’s opening matches.

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Before the Golden State Warriors’?opening game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Stephen Curry addressed the Dub Nation. He remarked that Griner has been detained in Russia for several days. Curry added that he hopes everyone would do their bit to bring her back.

Before the Brooklyn Nets‘ opening game, Kyrie Irving also expressed his support for Griner’s release. He urged US President Joe Biden and everyone else involved to do their jobs and bring their sister back home.

Interestingly, Biden recently met with the families of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, another US prisoner currently incarcerated in Russia.

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He provided them a glimmer of hope, assuring them that his administration is doing everything possible to bring their loved ones home.

The Biden administration is currently under enormous pressure to bring back both American inmates as soon as possible.