BASKETBALL DIPLOMACY? Dennis Rodman plans Russia visit to seek Brittney Griner's release: ‘I know Putin too well’
NBA icon Dennis Rodman is stepping in to seek the release of Brittney Griner who has been sentenced to prison for nine years for carrying weed oil in her luggage. The former Chicago Bulls star will be traveling to Russia and will try to negotiate the release of Griner. Rodman revealed that he got permission to travel to the war-fuelled country Russia.
In an interview with NBC News, the 61-year-old Basketball legend said he will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the release of Griner as he knew him “too well.” The five-time NBA champion pulled off a similar stunt when he helped free American man Kenneth Bae in 2014. The latter was jailed in North Korea for more than two-and-a-half years. Speaking of traveling to Russia, the US State Department has currently issued a travel advisory warning Americans not to travel to the country.
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‘I know Putin too well’
In an interview with NBC News, Dennis Rodman asserted, “I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl,” adding, “I'm trying to go this week." Rodman also shared, “I know Putin too well.” The basketball icon, for the unversed, had dubbed Putin a “cool guy” after he returned from Moscow in 2014.
According to E! Online, Rodman in 2014 told Fox Business, “They don't know about American basketball, American football. I went over there to represent America as far as basketball is concerned," adding, “I'm not a politician, I'm just a basketball ambassador. That's it."
Putin is not the only controversial leader Rodman is friends with. He is also known to share a good rapport with North Korea leader Kim Jong-un. Rodman has taken several trips to the country also helping in the release of Christian missionary Kenneth Bae in 2014, who was charged in the country for attempting to overturn the government. Dennis Rodman also met Kim along with former US President Donald Trump during a 2018 visit to Singapore.
Speaking of Brittney Griner, the WNBA star got jailed for nine years in August 2022 after she was charged with smuggling drugs into the country. Griner's lawyers, in a statement, said that the verdict, just below the maximum sentence of 10 years, was "absolutely unreasonable" and said they will "certainly file an appeal." The renowned basketball player was traveling through Sheremetyevo airport, which is 20 miles from Moscow when the Russian Federal Customs Service detained her after reportedly finding hashish oil in her luggage in February 2022.