Basketball
Russian court rules: America’s Griner is guilty
- Griner weeps as she pleads for leniency
- Prosecutor seeks 9-1/2 years in prison for U.S. basketball star
- Brittney Griner’s lawyers seek her acquittal
- United States has made Russia a prisoner swap offer
- Verdict expected on Thursday, lawyer says
A Russian court on Thursday found U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner guilty of deliberately bringing cannabis-infused vape cartridges into Russia despite them being illegal, after the athlete said she had made an honest mistake by packing them.
Her sentencing, which is set to take place later on Thursday, could pave the way for an high-profile prisoner swap between Russia and the United States that would include the 31-year-old athlete and an imprisoned Russian who was once a prolific arms dealers.
Griner pleaded with a Russian judge earlier on Thursday not to “end her life” with a harsh prison sentence for bringing in vape cartridges containing hashish oil, before breaking down in tears in court.
The Russian prosecutor called for Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) star, to be sentenced to 9-1/2 years prison if she is found guilty of bringing illegal drugs to Russia.
Griner was detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Feb. 17 with vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage. She pleaded guilty but said she had neither intended to bring a banned substance to Russia nor to hurt anybody.
In an teary statement before the verdict, Griner implored the judge to recognise her actions as a mistake
“I made an honest mistake and I hope that in your ruling, that it doesn’t end my life here,” Griner said in court before breaking down in tears.
The vape cartridges threw the Texan athlete into the geopolitical maelstrom triggered when President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
During the most strained U.S.-Russian relations since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, U.S. President Joe Biden is under pressure to intervene on behalf of Americans held in Russia.
The United States has said Griner was wrongfully detained and offered to exchange Russian prisoners for American citizens including Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan.
One source familiar with the situation said that Washington was willing to exchange convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout, whose life helped inspire the 2005 Hollywood film “Lord of War” starring Nicholas Cage.
Russian officials have said a deal has not been reached. They argue that Griner, known as “BG” to basketball fans, violated laws and should be judged accordingly.
-Reuters
The fifth edition of the Dr & Dr (Mrs.) D.K. Olukoya Women’s Basketball Competition is set to take place in Lagos on July 14 and 15, 2025, with eight of Nigeria’s top women’s basketball teams battling for honours in the two-day tournament.
The competition, held annually in celebration of the joint birthday of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) General Overseer, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, and his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) Folashade Olukoya, continues to grow in prestige and importance on the Nigerian basketball calendar.
Speaking ahead of the event, Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, Godwin Enakhena, acknowledged the logistical challenges encountered in planning this year’s edition due to scheduling conflicts at the National Stadium’s indoor sports hall in Lagos—the tournament’s usual venue.
“Putting together the 2025 edition has been a bit challenging because of the congested calendar at the stadium, but we are determined not to disappoint the teams that have been looking forward to it,” Enakhena said. “We’ve secured two days, and we’ll make the most of the opportunity.”
Enakhena, who is also the Director of Sports at MFM, said the timing of the tournament is ideal for teams preparing for the new Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League season.
“Several teams participating in the league reached out and pleaded for the competition to hold, as it offers a valuable platform to fine-tune preparations ahead of the first phase of the NBBF Women’s League, which begins at the end of July,” he added.
The Dr & Dr (Mrs.) D.K. Olukoya Women’s Basketball Tournament has become a key fixture in supporting and promoting women’s basketball in Nigeria, while also serving as a birthday tribute to two of MFM’s most influential figures.
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Musa Kida, the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s apex oil company. His appointment is part of the sweeping overhaul that the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu made in the first working day after the Sallah break.
The sacking of the board of the NNPC sees the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Mele Kolo Kyari. Prior to his current appointment, Kida was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria.
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Basketball
NSC DG Bukola Olopade Congratulates NBBF Boss Musa Kida for new appointment as NNPC Chairman
The Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Bukola Olopade, has congratulated the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Musa Kida, for his appointment as the new Board Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade said Musa Kida has been one of Nigeria’s most efficient and Productive Sports administrators who has sacrificed a lot for the growth of Nigerian Basketball.
The DG maintained that his latest appointment is a testament to his years of passion, hard work, dedication and a very successful track record in the oil sector for more than two decades.
” Musa Kida is an accomplished administrator whose achievements cut across both the oil sector and Nigerian basketball. I have no doubt that the NNPC Limited will attain better efficiency and attract more investment under his watch”.
” Under his leadership as the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, we have seen the steady growth of the country’s basketball and how the National teams have continued to achieve new heights.
” At the last Olympic Games in France, the Nigeria Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress was one of the shining stories for Team Nigeria, where they set a new record by making it to the knockout phase before losing to the United States”.
” I personally know the efforts behind the scenes that kida put in for Nigeria to achieve that feat with the girls in France and the Nigerian girls have been an unrivalled team on the continent for some time now”.
The DG added that he does not doubt that Musa Kida will use his new position to further earnest the development of Nigerian Sports especially basketball especially now that there is a new focus on growing a sustainable Sports Economy.
” Whilst the Oil sector will benefit immensely from the Expertise of Musa Kida as the new Board Chairman of the NNPC Limited, Mr President, has further helped to place Nigerian Sports in a better pedestal by putting one of us in a very strategic place like the NNPC”, he concluded.
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A City Under the Rocks, Abeokuta Set for 3rd African U18/U20 Athletics Championship
Nigeria’s 96-athletic squad set for honours at African U18/U20 Athletics Championship in Abeokuta
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