Cathy Engelbert

Russian court rejects Griner appeal of her 9-year sentence

A Russian court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner of her nine-year prison sentence for drug possession, a step that could move her closer to a possible high-stakes prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. The eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist was convicted Aug. 4 after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Bring her home.#WeAreBG 🧡 pic.twitter.com/YMQlm8AAa1 — Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) October 26, 2022 Griner, 32, was not at the Moscow Regional Court hearing but appeared

The WNBA is Working to Get Brittney Griner Back to the United States

The effort to get WNBA champion Brittney Griner out of Russian detainment continues as the 2022 WNBA season draws near. During her opening statement at the WNBA Draft, commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned how the league is working to get Griner back into the United States. Engelbert noted how Griner is in an “unimaginable situation.”

NBA’s Playoff Game Boycotts Sparks Domino Effect Across Major League Sports Amidst Jacob Blake Shooting

The Milwaukee Bucks took a historic stand by electing not to play in the scheduled Wednesday Game 5 of the NBA Playoff series versus the Orlando Magic to boycott police brutality and specifically boycott the treatment of Jacob S. Blake, a 29-year-old American Black man who was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha police officer that left him paralyzed earlier on Sunday.

WNBA Hosts Virtual Draft

The WNBA practiced social distancing by hosting the first virtual Draft on Friday, April 17 on ESPN. One of the few athletic events that was not impacted by the COVID-19, the Draft was mainly broadcasted from the houses of league commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the Draftees.