Olympic gold medalist, Brittney Griner, recently made headlines after being released from an unjust 10-month detainment in Russia. Now that she is finally back home in the US, the 32-year-old has returned to what she loves most—playing basketball. Her return to the court is a reminder of the fight for equity among female professional athletes and the strength and courage of Brittney Griner.
Griner first went to Russia to play basketball in the WNBA off-season which resulted in her arrest in February 2019 for allegedly violating immigration laws. She was detained for more than 10 months before finally being released Thursday as a part of a prisoner swap for notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Following her release, Griner arrived two days later at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for routine evaluation and medical attention.
Throughout her detainment, many people spoke out on social media about the unfairness of her detainment and demanded justice for their beloved athlete. And when news broke last week that Griner would be freed, it was met with immense joy as fans celebrated her return home. Her story has also served as a stark reminder of how far we have still have to go when it comes to equity among female professional athletes—especially those in the WNBA who are underpaid and lack recognition compared to their male counterparts.
Since returning home, Griner has been nothing but positive and gracious during interviews; expressing appreciation and admiration towards everyone who supported her during this difficult time. “The outpouring of love I felt while I was away was incredible,” said Griner. “It kept me strong through some really dark times.” It goes without saying that it takes an immense amount of courage and resilience to overcome such an ordeal; qualities that make Brittney Griner an inspiration not only on the court but also off it too.
Brittney Griner’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring; from her Olympic Gold medal win all up until present day where she has returned home safely from unjust detention overseas due to widespread support from fans all over the world. Her story serves as a reminder of why fighting for equity among female professional athletes is so important—particularly those within the WNBA who are still not receiving adequate pay or recognition they deserve compared men’s sports leagues like Major League Baseball or National Basketball Association (NBA). We can only hope that Brittney’s story will inspire further change within female sports leagues across America so that stories like hers never happen again!