Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Mordovia, her lawyers say

American basketball player Brittney Griner, who was sentenced to nine years in prison for drug smuggling, is now in Penal Colony No. 2 in Mordovia, her lawyers, Maria Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, told Interfax.

“Brittney is handling the situation as well as possible, she’s trying to hold on and adapt to new conditions,” they said, adding that they visited Griner a few days ago.

There were earlier reports that Brittney Griner had been taken to a penal colony in Morodovia, but her lawyers did not confirm her location until now.

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Brittney Griner is considered one of the best basketball players in the world. In the US, she played for the Phoenix Mercury, and in Russia for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a multiple national championship winner.

In February, 2022, Griner was arrested in Sheremetevo airport after vape cartridges containing hash oil were found in her luggage. In August she was sentenced to nine years in prison (which amounts to eight, taking into account the year she spent in jail).

Russia and the US are reportedly discussing exchanging Griner for a Russian citizen imprisoned in America – the arms dealer Viktor But, who was sentenced to 25 years in the US, is considered a likely candidate.