Brittney Griner in Russia ‘because of a gender issue,’ says WNBA star

• WNBA superstar Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia following her February arrest on drug charges.
• Nneka Ogwumike, another WNBA star and president of the players’ association, says it’s a “gender issue.”
• “The reality is that she is there because of a gender problem: pay inequality,” she said on GMA.

Brittney Griner has been in custody in Russia for nearly two months, arrested on drug charges in February.

And now one of her fellow WNBA superstars is calling Griner’s current situation a “gender issue.”

Nneka Ogwumike, president of the WNBA Players Association and six-time All-Star, discussed the circumstances surrounding Griner’s detention on “Good Morning America” Tuesday. When host Robin Roberts asked the Los Angeles Sparks star if she thought “a gender issue was at play,” Ogwumike offered a firm response.

“I mean, when right?” » said Ogwumike. “It’s disappointing that the question of whether it’s a gender issue is a priority now when it comes to these types of circumstances. The reality is (Griner is) out there because of a gender issue – pay inequity.”

Griner was traveling to Russia to play European flagship club UMMC Yekaterinburgas she has done every WNBA offseason since 2014. About half of WNBA players travel overseas in the winter to supplement their relatively low salaries of the national league. Stars earn significantly higher salaries abroad than they can earn in the United States.

Griner is the quintessential example of this wage divide. This year, the seven-time WNBA All-Star was expected to win a league maximum annual base salary of $227,900 of the Phoenix Mercury, although she would be eligible to earn more between bonuses and marketing opportunities if she had stayed in the United States for the winter. But Griner reportedly earns $1 million per season with UMMC Yekaterinburg, according to Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic.

“We don’t want to play 12 months a year,” Ogwumike said. “We want to play here. We are treated well (abroad) — that’s the truth — but we don’t want to feel like we to have go there to get what we want to have at home. »

Ogwumike – the 2016 WNBA MVP – played overseas herself early in her career. She spent seven years competing in Russia, Poland and China following the conclusion of the WNBA season. And while she says part of the incentive for players to travel halfway around the world is to “maintain our game,” Ogwumike admitted that most players go overseas “to supplement our income “.

Having played overseas for years and followed similar paths as Griner before his arrest, many players were deeply affected by the 6-foot-9 star’s detention. Ogwumike is no exception.

“BG is us. We are BG. It could have been us,” Ogwumike said. “We’re really, really concerned about his health and safety, particularly his mental health. We’re hearing that, in that regard, she is fine. But we want her to come home.”

The 2022 WNBA season begins the first week of May, while Griner’s next appearance in a Russian court is scheduled for May 19. She faces up to 10 years in prison and there is no timetable for his return.

Check out Ogwumike’s full interview on “Good Morning America” ​​below: