Sports
Russia is holding lesbian WNBA star Brittney Griner on drug charges
Russian Customs officials claim they found hashish oil in the basketball player’s luggage
Russian officials detained out Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner at an airport outside Moscow last month and have been holding her in custody.
Although they do not identify her by name, officials say inspectors found vape cartridges that contained hashish oil in her luggage at the Sheremetyevo airport. The New York Times reported the Russian news agency TASS cited a law enforcement source in naming Griner. The 6’9” Griner, who like many pro WNBA stars plays overseas in the off-season, is unmistakable in video released by Russian customs officials.
That video was recorded in February, which means Griner has been held in Russian custody for at least a week. The WNBA, USA Basketball, the Mercury and GLAAD expressed support for Griner.
This comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the U.S. following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and The Times noted Griner’s arrest could be seen as a ploy intended to create leverage for a potential prisoner exchange or a reduction in sanctions.
A WNBA spokeswoman told The Times that all of its other players had left Russia and Ukraine.
The Times cited a statement by Russian customs authorities that says they’ve opened a criminal case into what they’re calling a large-scale transportation of drugs. In Russia, such crimes can carry a sentence of up to 10 years behind bars.
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Griner, who was a number one draft pick at Baylor University, a three-time All American and came out as gay in April 2013, has played for the Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg for several years. LGBTQ activist Charlotte Clymer explained why WNBA stars are compelled to travel around the world in the offseason: to earn what they’re worth.
Griner’s agent, quoted by The Times, said she is in close contact with her client as well as her legal representation in Russia: “As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern,” said Lindsay Kagawa Colas.
More than a dozen LGBTQ athletes won medals at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics that ended on Sunday.
Cayla Barnes, Hilary Knight, and Alex Carpenter are LGBTQ members of the U.S. women’s hockey team that won a gold medal after they defeated Canada in overtime. Knight the day before the Feb. 19 match proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
French ice dancer Guillaume Cizeron, who is gay, and his partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry won gold. American alpine skier Breezy Johnson, who is bisexual, won gold in the women’s downhill. Amber Glenn, who identifies as bisexual and pansexual, was part of the American figure skating team that won gold in the team event.
Swiss freestyle skier Mathilde Gremaud, who is in a relationship with Vali Höll, an Austrian mountain biker, won gold in women’s freeski slopestyle.
Bruce Mouat, who is the captain of the British curling team that won a silver medal, is gay. Six members of the Canadian women’s hockey team — Emily Clark, Erin Ambrose, Emerance Maschmeyer, Brianne Jenner, Laura Stacey, and Marie-Philip Poulin — that won silver are LGBTQ.
Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naeslund, who is a lesbian, won a bronze medal in ski cross.
Belgian speed skater Tineke den Dulk, who is bisexual, was part of her country’s mixed 2000-meter relay that won bronze. Canadian ice dancer Paul Poirier, who is gay, and his partner, Piper Gilles, won bronze.
Laura Zimmermann, who is queer, is a member of the Swiss women’s hockey team that won bronze when they defeated Sweden.
Outsports.com notes all of the LGBTQ Olympians who competed at the games and who medaled.
Sports
US wins Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey
Team captain Hilary Knight proposed to girlfriend on Wednesday
The U.S. women’s hockey team on Thursday won a gold medal at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Team USA defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime. The game took place a day after Team USA captain Hilary Knight proposed to her girlfriend, Brittany Bowe, an Olympic speed skater.
Cayla Barnes and Alex Carpenter — Knight’s teammates — are also LGBTQ. They are among the more than 40 openly LGBTQ athletes who are competing in the games.
The Olympics will end on Sunday.
Sports
Attitude! French ice dancers nail ‘Vogue’ routine
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry strike a pose in memorable Olympics performance
Madonna’s presence is being felt at the Olympic Games in Italy.
Guillaume Cizeron and his rhythm ice dancing partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry of France performed a flawless skate to Madonna’s “Vogue” and “Rescue Me” on Monday.
The duo scored an impressive 90.18 for their effort, the best score of the night.
“We’ve been working hard the whole season to get over 90, so it was nice to see the score on the screen,” Fournier Beaudry told Olympics.com. “But first of all, just coming out off the ice, we were very happy about what we delivered and the pleasure we had out there. With the energy of the crowd, it was really amazing.”
Watch the routine on YouTube here.
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