WNBA Star Brittney Griner's Wife During Interview With Al Sharpton, 'Every Second That Goes By, BG Is Struggling'
As hope for WNBA player Brittney Griner’s release from a Russian prison diminishes, her wife, Cherelle Griner, has come forward to share that her spouse is suffering despite putting up a brave front.
During an interview with Al Sharpton on his satellite radio show “Keepin’ It Real” on Wednesday (June 29), the recent law school graduate opened up about Griner’s bravery in light of being detained in the communist nation without due process since mid-February.
Sharpton posted the eight-minute interview to Instagram where Cherelle revealed that she still hasn’t heard her wife’s voice since she was taken into custody by Russian authorities. However, Griner has written letters.
“Cherelle Griner, the wife of Brittney Griner, appeared on Keepin’ It Real with Rev. Al Sharpton this afternoon to discuss the basketball center’s ongoing detainment in Russia. She urged her fellow Americans to continue pushing the U.S. government to bring #BrittneyGriner back home as soon as possible. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested at a Moscow airport in mid-February, as Russia was beginning its invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. State Department has since said she was “wrongfully detained,” with many arguing her arrest was political in nature.” the caption read.
Cherelle believes that the Phoenix Mercury center is disguising her fear with false strength so as to not worry her partner.
“Because I am her person, she is always going to write persuasively to make sure I don't break because she knows I have all these things going on. She's always trying to be my strong person. She's telling me she's okay.”
Griner’s wife continued, “She's like, 'I'm okay, babe. I'm hardened. I'm not me right now. When I come home, it's going to take me a minute to get back to myself, but I'm holding on. I won't break until I come home. I won't let them break me. I know they are trying to, but I'm going to do my best to just hold on until I can get home.'"
Cherelle also expounded that it was imperative that Griner’s case stays front and center with respect to media attention. She alluded to her wife, affectionately known as BG, being “terrified” and “struggling.”
"Every second that goes by, BG is struggling," Cherelle said. "She's struggling. She's there, terrified. She's there, alone ... Everything about this is just her biggest nightmare, on top of the fact that BG is in a situation where this isn't even a trial ... Nothing about this is justice."
Unfortunately, the Russian government has been reluctant to negotiate Griner’s release, and it seemingly continues to railroad the 31-year-old baller by constantly pushing out her trial date.
Bet.com reported that Griner’s latest upcoming trial date is July 1.
The center has been confined to a Russian prison for almost six months after being arrested on drug trafficking charges after Russian police found hashish oil via vape cartridges in her luggage.
