Brittney Griner may have the chance to revive her professional career as Radar reported that the imprisoned WNBA star might have the opportunity to coach women’s basketball while she serves her 9-year sentence in a Russia Penal Colony following her arrest for cannabis oil.
Via the report:
“Despite Russia confirming it’s in talks with the US regarding a possible prisoner swap in exchange for Griner and another American prisoner, Paul Whelan, RadarOnline.com confirmed she will still be tasked with a job while behind bars, like any other inmate.
While most prisoners work eight hours a day cooking, serving, cleaning, doing laundry, etc., Griner might be able to do what she loves because of her special skills.
Griner coaching basketball to inmates isn’t too much of a stretch considering Russian soccer players Alexander Kokorin and Pavel Mamayev taught their profession while they served out sentences in one of the colonies.”
“I hope that she will be sent to a colony with a lenient governor who allows her to coach basketball in the daytime rather than being a seamstress,” Ivan Melnikov, the vice president of the Russian Department of the International Human Rights Defense Committee, told PEOPLE.
“Prisoners are encouraged to play sports or do yoga and so on, and basketball is popular. I think that would be the best thing for her.”
In the meantime, Russia has reportedly made a big admission when it comes to the situation involving Brittney Griner. According to reports out of the United States, the government is working on a prisoner exchange with Russia for Griner.
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“The discussions on the very sensitive topic of an exchange are proceeding via the channels chosen by our presidents,” Alexander Datchiev, the head of the North America department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by state news agency TASS. “Silent diplomacy continues and should bear fruit if Washington, of course, is careful not to fall into propaganda.”
Griner has been in Russian custody since February.
