Brittney Griner Attends Phoenix Open in 2nd Public Appearance Since Russian Prisoner Swap
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Brittney Griner is enjoying a sporting weekend ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
After she was released from a Russian jail in a prisoner swap in December, the WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist, 32, made her second public appearance as a free woman with wife Cherelle Griner on Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament.
They both appeared to be in good spirits, as Brittney smiled and shot a peace sign at her supporters in the stands.
Brittney and Cherelle, 30, previously stepped out for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day march in Phoenix last month. "Glad to be home," she told supporters during the outing.
The Phoenix Mercury center was detained in Russia on drug smuggling charges in February for allegedly possessing hash oil in her luggage.
Miguel Negron/U.S. Army West Brittney Griner returning home to the U.S. on Dec. 8, 2022
Before she was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison in August, Brittney testified that she "had no intention to break the law" and did not mean to pack the cannabis oil.
RELATED: Brittney Griner and Wife Cherelle Plan to Help Families of Other Political Prisoners
Brittney's imprisonment sparked a national outcry for her release, as President Joe Biden entered negotiations to exchange the release of the athlete and Paul Whelan, another American prisoner, for a Russian prisoner in the U.S.
The prisoner swap took place Thursday, Dec. 8. in the United Arab Emirates, 10 months after Brittney was first incarcerated. "It feels so good to be home," she wrote in a heartfelt statement shortly after her release.
Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS/ZUMA Brittney Griner during her detention in Russia
"The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn," added Griner in part. "I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going."
Although Whelan, 53, who has been imprisoned in Russia for alleged espionage since 2018, was not released in the deal, Biden, 80, assured that his administration is "not giving up" on securing Whelan's safe return to the U.S.
RELATED VIDEO: Brittney Griner Lands in U.S. After Russian Prison Release: 'Welcome Home BG!'
The Griners have since raised awareness for Whelan and other political prisoners, urging their fans to write him letters through the #WeAreBG campaign. "It's our turn to support them," Brittney wrote in December.
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Brittney has been getting back into the game following her release, expressing that she plans to play with the Phoenix Mercury again when the 2023 season starts in May.
