American women's basketball player Brittney Griner received a nine-year prison term after being found guilty of knowingly importing narcotics into Russia.

Griner was fined 1 million rubles, or around $16,400, by Khimki City Court Judge Anna Sotnikova.

She stated the court considered Griner's partial acknowledgment of guilt, remorse for the act, state of health, and philanthropic endeavours.

She had been given 9.5 years in prison at the request of the prosecution.

Griner made an emotional appeal to the court before the decision, offering an apology and pleading for mercy.

The 31-year-old was detained at a Moscow airport, and the verdict was rendered around six months later.

Russian authorities charged her with attempting to conceal less than 1 gram of cannabis oil in her luggage.

The two-time US Olympic gold medalist in basketball entered a plea to drug charges last month.

According to Griner, she hurriedly packed the medicines by mistake.

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