US Soccer star Megan Rapinoe last month urged President Joe Biden in a phone call to do more to secure the release of Brittney Griner from her detention in Russia.
According to Politico, Rapinoe made the request when Biden called her to inform her she would be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian in America.
When Rapinoe attended the ceremony at the White House on July 7, she wore a blazer with Griner’s initials inscribed on the lapel.
Griner, 31, was sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia earlier in August after being convicted of drug possession and smuggling.
Griner brought vape cartridges with cannabis oil into Russia when she flew to Moscow to play basketball in the city of Yekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason.
Biden denounced the ruling as ‘unacceptable’, with the verdict coming amid soaring tensions between the US and Russia over Ukraine. There have been numerous reports that Griner could now be involved in a high-profile prisoner swap between the two countries.
Megan Rapinoe reportedly told President Biden to do more to free Brittney Griner
Griner has been held in Russia since February and recently sentenced to nine years in prison after bringing vape cartridges into the country that contained cannabis oil
But Rapinoe, 37, still took her opportunity to tell Biden to secure Griner’s release as quickly as possible.
Politico says that Biden phoned Griner’s wife, Cherelle, in the days after speaking with Rapinoe.
Rapinoe also called for Biden to step up efforts to free Griner in a speech at the ESPY awards in July.
‘We love her, we miss her, we’re doing every single thing we can to get her out,’ Rapinoe said. ‘BG deserves to be free, she’s being held as a political prisoner – obviously.
‘Every time we see BG’s face, every time we say her name in interviews it puts pressure on everybody. it puts pressure on the administration, on Russia and lets BG know we are thinking about her all the time.
‘We haven’t done enough, all of us, we can do more, we can support her more.’
Cherelle Griner has previously outlined frustration with how the Biden administration is dealing with Griner’s situation.
Biden reportedly contacted Griner’s wide, Cherelle, shortly after speaking with Rapinoe
Griner appears to be a part of discussions regarding a prisoner swap with Russia and the US
Speaking in June, she said: ‘I wish I could say I have a clear understanding (of the White House’s strategy to free her). They do a lot of talking in code with me.’
Since then, reports have surfaced of the possible prisoner swap with Griner and Paul Whelan, a former US marine who is held in Russia.
Griner has been held since February 17. Earlier this week, her legal team in Russia appealed her conviction.
On Thursday, Russia’s foreign ministry said it was engaged in ‘quiet diplomacy’ over the possible swap involving Griner.
‘Quiet diplomacy is under way and it should bear fruit if Washington follows it, and not fall into propaganda through media hype to score points before an election,’ said Ivan Nechayev, a spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry, referring to the midterm elections in November.
Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and a star player in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) – she plays for Phoenix Mercury.