Brittney Griner Was Recommended Cannabis to Treat Pain, Says Lawyer For Detained WNBA Star

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WNBA superstar Brittney Griner was recommended cannabis to treat her pain, said one of her lawyers after a hearing in Khimki, Russia outside Moscow on Friday.

Griner, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, pled guilty last week to drug possession charges. She was detained in February for allegedly bringing cannabis oil into Russia, where it is illegal. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

“Among the medical documents is a doctor’s appointment for the substance that Britney Griner inadvertently left among her belongings when crossing the border,” said Maria Blagovolina following Griner’s fourth hearing, reported NBC News.

Griner’s next appearance is scheduled for July 26.

After Griner’s most recent courtroom appearance, Elizabeth Rood, the Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, reiterated America’s commitment to bring Griner home.

“It became clear in the past few days that there’s tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Brittney’s character and integrity both in Russia and in the U.S.,” she said, adding “And we reaffirm our commitment to bring back home Brittney and all the American citizens detained abroad.”

During Friday’s court hearing, Griner’s teammate on UMMC Ekaterinburg – where Griner has played in the offseason since 2014 due to the pay disparity between WNBA and NBA players – Yevgenia Belyakova defended her.

“It was an extremely emotional day for Brittney, who was touched by the appearance of the club director, head physician and her teammate, who gave an extremely positive description of our client both personally and professionally,” she said to Reuters.