WNBA star Brittney Griner appeared in a courtroom just outside of Moscow on Friday to start off her demo extra than 4 months just after she was arrested in Russia for allegedly possessing a banned material. 

Russian prosecutors uncovered their case towards Griner, alleging that she was in possession of two cartridges containing .702 grams of hashish oil February 17 when she was taken into custody at Sheremetyevo Airport with the intention of smuggling in the "narcotics," in accordance to Russian News Company TASS. 

US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner (C) arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court docket, exterior Moscow on July 1, 2022. - Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA winner, was detained at Moscow airport in February on costs of carrying in her baggage vape cartridges with cannabis oil, which could carry a 10-yr sentence.  (KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP by way of Getty Visuals)

"Remaining pretty mindful that it is banned to have narcotic substances in the Eurasian Financial Union, she purchased two cartridges holding .252 and .45 grams of cannabis oil, or .702 grams in complete, for personal intake from an unidentified individual in an unknown spot and underneath unknown instances but not later than February 17, 2022," the prosecutor claimed. 

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Griner, who could encounter up to 10 years in prison if convicted, was escorted into courtroom wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt. She advised a Reuters reporter current in the courtroom that she is battling with her detention due to the fact of the language barrier. 

She did not enter a plea in the course of Friday’s hearing and a judge ordered the trial be adjourned until eventually July 7. 

US WNBA basketball celebrity Brittney Griner comes to a listening to at the Khimki Court, exterior Moscow on July 1, 2022. - Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medallist and WNBA champion, was detained at Moscow airport in February on charges of carrying in her baggage vape cartridges with hashish oil, which could have a 10-12 months jail sentence.  (KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Visuals)

Elizabeth Rood, U.S. charge d’affaires in Moscow, was in court and mentioned she spoke with Griner, who "is carrying out as very well as can be predicted in these tough circumstances."

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"The Russian Federation has wrongfully detained Brittney Griner," Rood mentioned. "The follow of wrongful detention is unacceptable anywhere it takes place and is a menace to the safety of everybody touring, working, and dwelling abroad."

On Friday, a Kremlin official denied U.S. reports that Griner’s arrest was "politically inspired."

"Details are that a well-known athlete was apprehended with forbidden compounds that contained narcotic substances. Russian laws in fact has provisions that stipulate punishment for these crimes," the official said, via TASS.

FILE - Phoenix Mercury middle Brittney Griner (42) appears to be like to pass as Chicago Sky centre Candace Parker defends in the course of the initially half of game 1 of the WNBA basketball Finals , Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Phoenix. (WHD Photograph/Ralph Freso, File)

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Russian news media have regularly raised speculation that Griner could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, nicknamed "the Service provider of Loss of life," who is serving a 25-12 months sentence on conviction of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and offering help to a terrorist organization.

Griner’s arrest came a 7 days right before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, but news of her detention did not spread right until March. She is experiencing a court procedure in which the acquittal charge is fewer than 1%. 

The contributed to this report.