wnba brittney griner airport
- 10 months ago
Phoenix Mercury to adjust travel arrangements following Brittney Griner harassment incident, head coach says
Following the harassment of WNBA star Brittney Griner at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Phoenix Mercury management plans to make adjustments to prioritize player safety while traveling, the coach said Sunday.-Chef Vanessa Nygaard .
Griner, who was released from Russia in December after being wrongfully detained, was at the airport on her way to a game with her teammates on Saturday morning when a man confronted her, a source familiar with the incident told CNN.
The man, described by the WNBA in a statement as a "social media troll," yelled at the two-time Olympic gold medalist about "the merchant of death."
The escalating altercation led to the attack on the man and the involvement of police, according to the source.
After spending nearly 300 days in Russian custody, Griner was released in a prisoner exchange involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed the "death dealer." The prisoner swap drew criticism from some Republicans, who accused the Biden administration of releasing a dangerous prisoner to Russia, CNN previously reported.
When asked if Griner was allowed to charter flights and why she didn't charter them Saturday, Nygaard said the team followed the rules and guidelines set forth by the league.
In a statement on Saturday, the WNBA said that she was working with the team of Mercury and Griner to ensure their safety ahead of the season, adding that she had been cleared to operate charter flights.
Following the harassment of WNBA star Brittney Griner at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Phoenix Mercury management plans to make adjustments to prioritize player safety while traveling, the coach said Sunday.-Chef Vanessa Nygaard .
Griner, who was released from Russia in December after being wrongfully detained, was at the airport on her way to a game with her teammates on Saturday morning when a man confronted her, a source familiar with the incident told CNN.
The man, described by the WNBA in a statement as a "social media troll," yelled at the two-time Olympic gold medalist about "the merchant of death."
The escalating altercation led to the attack on the man and the involvement of police, according to the source.
After spending nearly 300 days in Russian custody, Griner was released in a prisoner exchange involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, nicknamed the "death dealer." The prisoner swap drew criticism from some Republicans, who accused the Biden administration of releasing a dangerous prisoner to Russia, CNN previously reported.
When asked if Griner was allowed to charter flights and why she didn't charter them Saturday, Nygaard said the team followed the rules and guidelines set forth by the league.
In a statement on Saturday, the WNBA said that she was working with the team of Mercury and Griner to ensure their safety ahead of the season, adding that she had been cleared to operate charter flights.