• Brittney Griner was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after cannabis oil vape cartridges were allegedly found in her luggage.
• Cannabis is an illegal narcotic in Russia for both medicinal and recreational purposes.
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• US basketball player pled guilty to drug offences but denied breaching the law on purpose.

Prosecutors in Russia have requested a court to sentence US basketball player Brittney Griner to nearly ten years in jail on drug allegations.

The Olympic gold medalist was arrested in February at a Moscow airport after cannabis oil vape cartridges were allegedly discovered in her luggage.

In Russia, cannabis is outlawed for both medicinal and recreational purposes.

Ms Griner, 31, pled guilty to drug offences but denied breaching the law on purpose.

The decision is due later on Thursday.

“I made an honest mistake, and I hope in your ruling it does not end my life,” Ms Griner told the court shortly after both sides presented closing arguments.

“I did not conspire or plan to commit this crime,” she added.

The trial has reached the highest echelons of US-Russia diplomacy, with rumours indicating that a conviction might clear the door for a spectacular prisoner swap involving Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout.

Russian courts seldom acquit suspects, and analysts predict a conviction. Sentence length is regarded to be less certain.

“I ask the court to find Griner guilty and sentence her to nine years and six months in prison,” prosecutor Nikolay Vlasenko said.

According to the AFP news agency, he also urged that the basketball player, who had previously played in Russia, be fined one million roubles (£13,700; $16,500).

Ms Griner’s lawyers argued for a light sentence in their closing argument, citing her celebrity in the sporting world.

“In sprinting there is Usain Bolt, in Formula 1 – Michael Schumacher, and in women’s basketball there is Brittney Griner,” her lawyer Maria Blagovolina, said.

Ms Blagovolina further claimed that Ms Griner erroneously packed the cartridges and only smoked cannabis for medical purposes while in the US state of Arizona.

Ms Griner previously stated in court that officials forced her to sign documents but “no one explained anything to me.”

She also claimed that she was not given an explanation of her rights or access to a lawyer during her initial incarceration and that she had to converse through a translation tool on her phone.

“I still don’t understand to this day how [the vape cartridges] ended up in my bags,” Ms Griner said.

“With them being accidentally in my bags, I take responsibility, but I did not intend to smuggle or plan to smuggle anything into Russia.”

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