Many questions remain about why Russia arrested WNBA star Brittney Griner

Many questions remain about why Russia arrested WNBA star Brittney Griner

Transcript¹

Few details are being released about the detainment in Russia of Brittney Griner. Among the questions being raised are: where is she and why is she being held?

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

We still don't know very much about WNBA star Brittney Griner's detention² in Russia. Over the weekend, news emerged that the seven-time All-Star has been detained since February. Russian officials allege³ that she was smuggling⁴ drugs into the country. There is work being done to bring her home. But as NPR's Tom Goldman reports, it is complicated.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE⁵: Jon Franks remembers the first thing he felt last Saturday when he heard the news that Brittney Griner was being held.

JON FRANKS: My immediate⁶ reaction was, these charges are likely fraudulent.

GOLDMAN: Franks works with families of wrongfully detained Americans. His suspicion about Griner's case isn't based on inside knowledge. Nothing has been said publicly other than the initial allegation that Griner was carrying vape cartridges⁷ containing hash oil on her inbound flight to Russia. But Franks has seen bogus charges before. He's worked closely with the family of former U.S. Marine⁸ Trevor Reed, who was convicted of assaulting a Russian police officer, which even U.S. government officials say was a sham⁹. And now with Griner, Frank says, it's an alarming turn to see Russia start to take famous people.

FRANKS: And not only a famous American, an American with quite a fanbase in their country.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED COMMENTATOR¹⁰: (Non-English language spoken).

GOLDMAN: For several years, Griner has played in Russia during WNBA offseasons. A number of American pros¹¹ do that to pad WNBA salaries that are paltry¹² compared to men's NBA earnings¹³. If the drug charges against her, which carry a possible 10-year sentence, aren't legitimate¹⁴, there could be numerous reasons for detention - leverage¹⁵ for a possible prisoner swap¹⁶ or reduction in the severe sanctions slapped on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Griner also is gay. And the LGBTQ community in Russia claims harassment¹⁷ and discrimination by the government. Whatever the reasons, Griner's fame is putting her detention squarely in the news. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is from Griner's home city of Houston.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

SHEILA JACKSON LEE: Anyone that is killing¹⁸ and attacking and destroying Ukraine, their neighboring country that has not bothered them, has no right to hold Ms. Griner.

GOLDMAN: For legal reasons, those in Griner's camp aren't saying anything beyond concern for her safety and hope for her return. Jon Franks hopes the Griner case prompts people in this country to speak out not only for her, but others who he says are wrongfully detained.

Tom Goldman, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO'S "DEVIL'S HALO")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

3 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

4 smuggling   

n.走私

参考例句：

• Some claimed that the docker's union fronted for the smuggling ring.某些人声称码头工人工会是走私集团的掩护所。
• The evidence pointed to the existence of an international smuggling network.证据表明很可能有一个国际走私网络存在。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

7 cartridges   

子弹( cartridge的名词复数 )； （打印机的）墨盒； 录音带盒； （唱机的）唱头

参考例句：

• computer consumables such as disks and printer cartridges 如磁盘、打印机墨盒之类的电脑耗材
• My new video game player came with three game cartridges included. 我的新电子游戏机附有三盘游戏带。

8 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

9 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

10 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

11 pros   

abbr.prosecuting 起诉；prosecutor 起诉人；professionals 自由职业者；proscenium （舞台）前部n.赞成的意见( pro的名词复数 )；赞成的理由；抵偿物；交换物

参考例句：

• The pros and cons cancel out. 正反两种意见抵消。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We should hear all the pros and cons of the matter before we make a decision. 我们在对这事做出决定之前，应该先听取正反两方面的意见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 paltry   

adj.无价值的，微不足道的

参考例句：

• The parents had little interest in paltry domestic concerns.那些家长对家里鸡毛蒜皮的小事没什么兴趣。
• I'm getting angry;and if you don't command that paltry spirit of yours.我要生气了，如果你不能振作你那点元气。

13 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

14 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

15 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

16 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

17 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

18 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。