Brittney Griner cries during national anthem at Olympics

When Brittney Griner returned to her first WNBA game after being held in Russia for 10 months, she said the national anthem “definitely felt different” — compared to the scenes of gold medals and flags at the Olympics, where the anthem played in the background. According to the Associated Press.

It all came together on Sunday, as Griner and the rest of the U.S. team were honored for their One point win over France Win the 2024 Olympic women’s basketball gold medal.

Griner, who had called on the WNBA to stop playing the anthem at games in 2020 amid nationwide protests against racial inequality, broke down in tears as she stood with her teammates during the national anthem.

“It means a lot to me,” Griner told reporters on Sunday. According to USA Today“I said it before, I didn’t expect to be standing here. And then to stand here and win a gold medal for my country, to represent my country, when my country fought for me for so long to be here – yes, this gold medal will hold a special place.”

Griner wasn’t a focal point for the U.S. team this summer, playing just five minutes and scoring four points and two rebounds in Sunday’s final, but she still contributed to the Americans’ Olympic winning streak, which now stands at 61 games and has led to eight consecutive gold medals.

There 2022 is a 10-month extension period However, experiencing something like this is far from guaranteed.

Griner was detained in Russia on drug charges in February after e-cigarette cartridges containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow airport, leading to a harrowing stint in jail. First detailed introduction The reconciliation was finally reached in December 2022, following an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts in May and a memoir released later that month.

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Before being detained and eventually returned to the United States, Griner had advocated for the WNBA to stop playing the national anthem at its 2020 games and revealed that she planned to protest even if the league continued to play the anthem. According to the Washington Post.

She said her experience in Russia and her return to the United States changed her stance and she is now back as a main member of the Mercury Band.

“You have the right to protest, you have the right to speak out, to question, to challenge, you have the right to do all of those things,” Griner told reporters in 2023. According to Fox News“Everything I’ve been through, it all makes more sense to me now. So I want to stand up. I was literally caged in (in Russia) and couldn’t stand up the way I wanted to.

“Any time I can hear the national anthem and see the flag, I definitely want to stand up. Now for everyone who doesn’t stand up or come out, I support them 100 percent. It’s our right as Americans in this great country.”