"I think it’s a crime" - Brittney Griner promotes transgender participation in sports

Brittney Griner had her first press conference on Thursday since arriving in the United States. Griner returned to the United States in December after being detained in Russia for nearly ten months.

The WNBA star discussed several topics, like the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports. Griner reckons that it's a crime that people are trying to ban transgender athletes from participating sports like basketball. She thinks that it should not be a problem in women's sports.

"That ranks high on the list of things I'll be fighting for and speaking up against," Griner said. "Everyone deserves the right to play. Everyone deserves the right to come here and sit in these seats and feel safe and not feel that there's a threat and that they can't be who they are.

"I think it's a crime, honestly, to separate someone for any reason, so I will definitely be speaking up against that legislation and those laws that are trying to be passed."

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Recent news on transgender athletes getting banned from competition

Lexi Rodgers (Photo: Lexi Rodgers/Instagram)

Transgender athletes not getting the opportunity to play sports has dominated headlines recently.

Basketball Australia ruled Lexi Rodgers ineligible to play for the Kilsyth Cobras in the NBL1 South semi-professional league this season. Rodgers was a talented junior basketball player before her transition.

Meanwhile, a high school women's basketball team in Vermont had to forfeit their chance for a championship, as they didn't want to face a team with a trans athlete. Mid Vermont Christian School dropped out of a tournament due to being uncomfortable with the situation.

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Brittney Griner won't play overseas again

Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury

Brittney Griner was detained in Russia last year and was charged with drug smuggling after airport authorities found vape cartridges with hanash oil. Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison and was sent to a Russian penal colony to serve her sentence.

The United States government negotiated a prisoner transfer exchange for her. Griner returned home in December, while weapons arms dealer Viktor Bout was sent back to Russia.

Brittney Griner was in Russia, as she played for UMMC Ekaterinburg during the WNBA offseason. However, she will no longer play abroad for the rest of her career unless it's for the national team.

"I can say for me, I'm never going overseas to play again unless I'm representing my country at the Olympics," Griner said. "If I make that team, that would be the only time I would leave the U.S. soil, and that’s just to represent the USA."