Initial support for Brittney Griner was mostly nonexistent, with US authorities and reps not offering much more than to say they were working to bring her home.
Searches and analysis across media platforms show that from February until about April, mentions of her detainment conditions were minimal.
In May, the State Department finally declared that Russia “wrongfully detained” Brittney Griner, and that escalated the situation.
On July 1, more than 130 days after her detainment, Griner’s trial in Russian court officially began.
On July 7th, she pled guilty to drug charges with hopes that would aid in leniency in sentencing.
Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Despite her apology and plea of innocence, the Judge sentenced Griner to nine years in prison, six months less than the nine and a half years suggested by prosecutors.
Now there seems to be an increase in outcries for justice for Brittney since the sentencing.
The commissioners from both the WNBA and the NBA released a joint statement, calling the verdict and sentencing “unjustified and unfortunate.”
The Phoenix Mercury tweeted a statement of support, and President Joe Biden said, “American citizen Brittney Griner received a prison sentence that is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney.”
However, some would argue the recent outrage is too little too late.
Tamryn Spruill, a sports journalist who is writing a book on the WNBA, commented on the unfortunate reality. “If this was an NBA player of her caliber… this would be on the cover of not only every sports page but every news media page in the world.”
The Mercury and the WNBPA both issued their support in early March, and the WNBA named her an honorary All-Star in June. But outside of the sporadic social media posts from other professional athletes to #FREEBG, the show of support was still not as strong as it should have been.
The Bigger Concern Not Shown
The lack of concern, attention, and media coverage surrounding Griner’s confinement and treatment demonstrates a bigger issue within the realm of sports. The gender disparities and inequities in sports are frequently reported.
But in basketball, they are much more significant.
Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife, says Brittney plays overseas to supplement her WNBA salary. Griner, one of about half of WNBA players who played overseas in the 2022 season, reportedly earns $1 million per season to play for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a team she’s played for since 2014.
Cherelle told ABC News “she has only had one Thanksgiving in the States in nine years since she’s been pro, and she misses all that stuff. Just because, you know, she can’t make enough money in the WNBA, like, to sustain her life.”
That sentiment is echoed by numerous WNBA players where the salary can range from the low $60,000s to mid-$200,000s. Their male counterparts, on the other hand, make five times more in the NBA with a minimum guaranteed salary of $925,000.
Lack of pay equity isn’t the only concern for women in sports.
Media coverage for female athletes is often focused on objectifying their bodies or creating fluff pieces that focus on matters outside of their sport.
Additionally, the media conventionally focuses on a small number of female athletes which paints an inaccurate picture of female sports participation and invalidates issues within sport. For Black women specifically, their invalid portrayal fails to address the underlying issues that negatively impact the experiences of Black female athletes and the problems currently circulating within the realm of sport.
Brittney Griner is merely seen as a Black woman who broke the law and is paying the consequences for her actions. The lack of concern or empathy on her behalf is representative of the perception of and feelings about Black women in America.
Research has shown Black girls are punished at alarmingly high rates in the United States. Further analysis reveals that many Americans view Black girls as more deserving of harsher punishments than their peers.
And don’t forget that Griner is a lesbian woman being imprisoned in a hostile nation with strong anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Griner has become a political pawn in prisoner trade negotiations. Therefore, this isn’t an issue of wanting to rescue someone because of their celebrity status, but instead a concern of the genuine dangers someone is facing because of their identity.
If she were straight, white, and/or male, many believe she would not have suffered as long as she did without more public uproar.
Griner Suffered In Silence
At the end of the day, Griner suffered in silence.
She was tucked away and forgotten about as the world moved on with their lives. Even with the pleas from her wife and the few throughout the sports industry crying for justice, mainstream media never deemed Griner’s case as important as it should have been.
Her sentence rendered, Griner’s lawyers have 10 days to appeal. Through it all, Griner has handled this as gracefully and calmly as one in her situation could.
It’s devastating to realize that Griner’s future is in someone else’s hands, dependent on how these trade negotiations play out.
And for those critics who argue athletes like Tom Brady, Lionel Messi, or even Lebron James would never be in this predicament you are correct. These men are cherished, respected and well paid, and society would never put them in a situation where they would be swept under the rug and neglected.
If you don’t like or support Black women, just acknowledge that.
But condemning and harshly prosecuting Griner for what seems to be a genuine mistake is unfair and unjust, especially when there are documented similar offenses that had different outcomes.
Ultimately, this is not an argument over Griner’s innocence regarding the 0.7 grams of cannabis oil she allegedly carried.
Brittney Griner is a victim of choosing and loving a profession that fails women every day while prioritizing certain identities over others. The way this has played out in the media further supports that argument.
I really hope we get justice for Brittney Griner.
She is not a bargaining chip, and she surely is not a hashtag. BG has already lost so much, let’s not see her lose anymore.
