A Russian court on Tuesday denied WNBA star Brittney Griner’s appeal and upheld her nine-year prison sentence on drug charges.
Griner, 32, looked despondent as she appeared at the hearing in the Moscow Regional Court via video conference from the detention center where she has been held since her arrest in February. The athlete is now expected to be moved to a penal colony.
Griner’s conviction in August was decried by the United States, which has said the athlete is being wrongfully detained. The denial of her appeal will see hopes for Griner’s release shift to the potential for a high-profile prisoner swap.
Latest from MBFC Factual News
- Media News Daily: Top Stories for 08/09/2026
- MBFC’s Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/09/2026 (Weekend Edition)
- MBFC’s Weekly Media Literacy Quiz Covering the Week of Aug 2nd – Aug 8th
- MBFC’s Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/08/2026 (Weekend Edition)
- Media News Daily: Top Stories for 08/07/2026
- MBFC’s Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/07/2026
- Media News Daily: Top Stories for 08/06/2026
- MBFC’s Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/06/2026
- Media News Daily: Top Stories for 08/05/2026
- MBFC’s Daily Vetted Fact Checks for 08/05/2026
MBFC relies entirely on readers like you.
No corporate or political donors. Your support keeps our 11,000+ ratings 100% independent.
- Remove all ads instantly
- Support independent ratings
- Cancel any time — no strings
Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources
