The family of Brittney Griner have urged U.S. president Joe Biden to do everything possible to get the player released.
The WNBA star is being held in Russia on charges of carrying drugs in her luggage while on a plane, and on Friday her family sought to reach out to the president.
“I haven’t seen my Brit for over 100 days,” Shekera Griner, the player’s sister, said in a video on Friday.
“This is totally devastating for me and my family. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
As Cherelle Griner, who is the player’s wife, did a couple of weeks ago, Shekera Griner asked Biden to do “whatever it takes” to get her back to the United States “safely and quickly”.
Both the WNBA and NBA have recently turned out in force to demand Griner‘s release under the #WeAreBG campaign.
Although her arrest was not made public until March 5, Griner was arrested at a Russian airport on February 17 and charged with having cartridges containing hash oil for vaping in her luggage.
Why is Brittney Griner detained in Russia?
Griner was arrested for drug smuggling, and has since remained in custody – and will until June 18 at the earliest – and could face up to 10 years in prison.
In May, it emerged that Russia and the United States are negotiating a swap of the player for Russian arms dealer Viktor But, known as the “merchant of death”, who is serving time in a U.S. prison.
Griner, 31, is, along with Diana Taurasi, point guard for the Phoenix Mercury, with whom she won the WNBA in 2014.
