WNBA basketball player Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug charges in Russia on Thursday, according to Russian news agency Tass.
Griner said that she would plead guilty, but that there was "no intent" and that she "didn't want to break the law," reports Reuters.
"I'd like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn't want to break the law," Griner said, speaking English, which was then translated into Russian for the court, she said. "I'd like to give my testimony later. I need time to prepare."
Griner has been detained in Russia since February after it was discovered that her vape cartridges contained hashish cannabis oil. Hashish oil, also known as hash oil, is the extract from cannabis often used for smoking in vape cartridges and can be consumed in many ways.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, is a center for the WNBA team the Phoenix Mercury.
Griner's agent, Lindsey Tagawa Colas, has said that Griner is in contact with her American legal representation as well as her family.
"We are aware of the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia and are in close contact with her, her legal representation in Russia, her family, her teams, and the W.N.B.A. and N.B.A.," she said. "As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are not able to comment further on the specifics of her case but can confirm that as we work to get her home, her mental and physical health remain our primary concern."
Griner's detention comes as Russian-U.S. relations reach their lowest point in decades. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United States has encouraged US citizens to leave the conflict zone, warning that it may not be able to help Americans caught in the conflict.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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