Griner, 31, a Phoenix Mercury player who played in Russia during the WNBA offseason, was arrested Feb. 17 at a Moscow airport.
Russian authorities charged her with smuggling significant amounts of the drug, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Griner is currently in pre-trial detention north of Moscow. Her detention has been extended for six months pending the outcome of the trial, according to her lawyer.
Earlier this week, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan reiterated that Greener was “wrongfully detained, unfairly detained, and we have made that clear as an official decision of the US government.”
No verdict is expected on the first day of her trial, which is being held in Khimki City Court, outside the Russian capital. US Embassy chargé d’affaires Elizabeth Rudd also arrived in court Friday for Greener’s hearing.
Griner’s supporters have expressed concern that the basketball star could be used as a political pawn, given rising tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Her detention, which has been repeatedly extended, has sparked an outpouring of support among dozens of U.S. organizations that have joined Griner’s wife, Cheryl, in urging President Joe Biden to strike a swap deal with Russian authorities to free Griner and return home safely as soon as possible.
When he spoke to reporters on Air Force One earlier this week, Sullivan declined to detail US efforts to resolve the Greener case, citing the “sensitive matter,” but maintained that the Biden administration was “actively engaged.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the case was not politically motivated when asked about Greener by CNN during a conference call with reporters on Friday.
While the Kremlin could not comment on the progress of the trial, Peskov said, he stressed that Griner was detained after transporting “illegal drugs that contain narcotic substances,” which is punishable under Russian law.
“Based on what I said, her arrest cannot be politically motivated,” Peskov added.
Last week, Griner was named an honorable mention starter in the WNBA All-Star Game, with the All-Star Game scheduled to take place on July 10 in Chicago. Her suspension is still “tough on our team,” Phoenix Mercury head coach Vanessa Nygaard told reporters before the team’s Monday game against the Indiana Fever.
She expressed hope that Griner will return home soon and that President Biden will “take the steps to ensure that she comes home.”
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