As she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom honor at the White House on Thursday, Megan Rapinoe paid tribute to WNBA star Brittney Griner, who remains detained in Russia while facing drug charges. Rapinoe showed up to the event wearing a suit jacket which featured Griner’s initials alongside a flower.
According to Popsugar, the soccer superstar later went to her Instagram Story to share a close-up image of the the hand-sewn tribute.
“The most important part of today,” Rapinoe wrote while sharing the photo.
The World Cup champion also dedicated her special day to the human rights champions who have been fighting for equality and justice.
“This day was so beyond special and yet bittersweet knowing what is still left to be done, who is still not home, those who are still not FREE,” she wrote. “To all of those who have come before me, walking so I could run, leading so I could follow, sacrificing so that we could fight, my deepest gratitude and heartfelt thank you. Please do take this moment to ask yourself what it is you can do because we must all do whatever it is we can so that we can all be free. So much love to my family and my family beyond my family and my chosen family. I love you.”
Donning her all-white outfit at the White House, Rapinoe posed for photos with her loved ones, including WNBA star Sue Bird. The 41-year-old basketball legend showed up to her fiancée’s historic day in a striped all-gray suit. Bird, who is Griner’s Olympic teammate, also wore a “We are BG” pin on her own suit jacket, NBC Sports reports.
As Blavity previously reported, Griner appeared in court on Thursday to plead guilty to drug charges in Russia, where she has been detained since February. The WNBA star said she “inadvertently” carried hash oil in her luggage at the airport.
“I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner told the judge, according to Reuters. “I’d like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare.”
