President Biden known as Brittney Griner’s sentence "unacceptable" on Thursday after the WNBA superstar was presented a nine-year prison term pursuing her conviction on drug expenses.

Griner figured out her destiny immediately after a months-extended demo. She was arrested in a Moscow airport for possessing vape cartridges with oils derived from hashish in February. Term of her arrest did not make it throughout the ocean until finally March, after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Biden also produced clear the U.S. government’s emphasis was to provide Griner, and another detained American Paul Whelan, home from a Russian jail.

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American basketball star Brittney Griner apologized to her family and groups as a Russian courtroom read closing arguments in her drug possession trial reported it envisioned to provide a verdict later on Thursday. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photograph by using WHD)

"Currently, American citizen Brittney Griner acquired a prison sentence that is one particular a lot more reminder of what the world already understood: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney," Biden reported in a statement. 

"It’s unacceptable, and I phone on Russia to launch her straight away so she can be with her wife, cherished kinds, mates, and teammates.  My administration will continue on to work tirelessly and pursue each individual doable avenue to carry Brittney and Paul Whelan residence safely as soon as probable."

Griner was also fined 1 million rubles, the equal of about $16,400.

She provided an apology forward of her sentencing.

WNBA Coach BECKY HAMMON Calls ON RUSSIA TO 'DO THE Appropriate THING' In advance OF BRITTNEY GRINER SENTENCING

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted from a court docket home soon after her final text, in Khimki just outside the house Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. (WHD Photograph/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

"I want to apologize to my teammates, my club, my lovers and the town of (Yekaterinburg) for my error that I manufactured and the humiliation that I brought on them," she said. "I want to also apologize to my mothers and fathers, my siblings, the Phoenix Mercury corporation back at property, the amazing gals of the WNBA, and my awesome husband or wife back at household."

Griner contended she designed "an straightforward slip-up" when she brought vape cartridges made up of oils derived from cannabis into a Moscow airport back again in February, adding "I hope in your ruling it does not end my lifetime."

Griner was returning to her Russian basketball group, UMMC Ekaterinburg, immediately after there was a pause in the time for international participate in. She called Yekaterinburg her "second house."

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"I experienced no idea that the team, the metropolitan areas, the enthusiasts, my teammates would make these a good perception on me above the 6 1/2 years that I expended in this article. I don't forget vividly coming out of the health club and all the very little girls that were in the stands there ready on me, and which is what held making me occur again below," she stated.

Russian media has speculated the trade could be for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms seller identified as the "Service provider of Loss of life," who is serving a 25-12 months sentence in the U.S. immediately after being convicted of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist corporation.

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner, appropriate, enters a cage in a courtroom prior to a listening to in Khimki just outdoors Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.  (Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool Photograph by means of WHD)

United States Secretary of Condition Antony Blinken exposed past week that the Biden administration provided a "sizeable proposal" for the return of the basketball player and fellow American Paul Whelan.

Blinken mentioned through a press conference that the Biden administration produced the proposal months ago and is hoping to discuss to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the first time given that Feb. 15. 

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White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday that Russia built a "bad faith" response to the U.S. government’s provide. She did not elaborate.

The contributed to this report.