WNBA star Brittney Griner is currently serving nine years in a Russian prison on drug charges after being detained at an airport with small amounts of hash oil. On Oct. 25, Griner, who had just celebrated her 32nd birthday a week prior, was delivered the news that her request to an appeal had been denied and her nine-year sentence would be upheld.

Critics feel President Joe Biden has turned his back on Griner, who has been held in Russia for almost a year. However, Biden assured the nation that his administration is still fighting to bring the Phoenix Mercury star home.

“We’re in constant contact with Russian authorities to get Brittany and others out. So far, we’ve not been meeting with much positive response, but we’re not stopping,” Biden said Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Cathy Engelbert, WNBA commissioner, also issued a statement after Russian officials announced their decision.

 

“Today’s decision, while unfortunate, was not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongly detained. We greatly appreciate the ongoing efforts of the administration and [the] U.S. Department of State in leading the negotiations. It is time to bring this case to an end and bring BG home,” she wrote in a statement the organization shared on Twitter.

Fans took to social media to share both concern and support for Brittney Griner.

“I really hope Brittney Griner stays alive and can come back to the states this year. So worried about her mental state and how this latest news will affect her well-being,” one user wrote.

“This ‘No’ won’t stop our advocacy for the release of #BrittneyGriner. Brittney: you, your mental health, and your physical wellness are all in my prayers. You will make it through this,” added Bernice King, CEO of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. 

Roxane Gay shared that she wished Biden’s administration would do more to help Griner.

“Brittney Griner’s appeal was denied. I can only imagine how scared and/or hopeless she must feel. I don’t presume to know what it will take to secure her freedom but I hope this administration intensifies their efforts to bring BG home. She cannot be forgotten,” she tweeted.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also released a statement on behalf of the White House saying, “The Biden-Harris Administration has continued to engage with Russia through every available channel and make every effort to bring home Brittney as well as to support and advocate for other Americans detained in Russia, including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan. The President has demonstrated that he is willing to go to extraordinary lengths and make tough decisions to bring Americans home, as his Administration has done successfully from countries around the world. The Administration remains in regular touch with representatives of the families, and we continue to admire their courage in the face of these unimaginable circumstances.”

A prisoner swap could be Griner’s only way home, but if it does happen, details will not be made public.

Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was asked about the possibility of a prisoner trade in which he replied, “We always say that any contacts about possible exchanges can only be conducted in silence under a tight lid on any information,” ABC News reports.

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