Brittney Griner is 'head over heels' for the Americans coming home in a prisoner swap

VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France (AP) — Brittney Griner knows only too well the swirling emotions of being involved in a prisoner swap, and she said Thursday night she is “head over heels” that fellow Americans are coming home from Russia.

“Great day. It’s a great day. It’s a great day," Griner said after the U.S. women beat Belgium 87-74 to clinch a berth in the Paris Games quarterfinals. "We’ll talk more about it later. But head over heels happy for the families right now. Any day that Americans come home, that’s a win. That’s a win.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist went through her own high-profile prisoner exchange with Russia in 2022 after having been sentenced to nine years in jail for drug possession and smuggling.

So Griner was thrilled hearing that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, both convicted of espionage charges that the U.S. government considered baseless, were coming home.

Griner didn’t share how she learned of the prisoner exchange, but she said she was “definitely emotional” at hearing the news.

“I’m sure it’ll be emotional even more a little bit later on," Griner said. "Yeah. I’m just happy. Like this is a big win. A huge win.”

Griner returned to the U.S. in December 2022. Now 19 months later, she is playing for the national team, which won its 57th straight at the Olympics. Griner scored seven points while helping the Americans continue their pursuit of an eighth straight Olympic gold medal.

Since returning to America, Griner has taken an active role in helping other Americans detained in foreign countries. She has worked with Bring Our Families Home, a campaign formed in 2022 by the family members of American hostages and wrongful detainees held overseas.

She also has spoken twice with President Joe Biden, including once in April to keep the detainees “on the forefront of everyone’s mind.”

Griner also has gone through the readjustment to life back in the U.S., something she’s still working through.

“I know they have an amazing group of people that are going to help them out in whatever way they need them and their families,” Griner said of the resources that will be available to Gershkovich and Whelan. "And I’m glad that I was able to go through that program and get reactivated back into everyday life.”

These Olympics are the first time she’s been overseas since her ordeal in Russia. On a train trip from London with her U.S. teammates, Griner felt anxious when she sat in her seat. It was her first time on a train since heading to a Russian prison.

“Walking up to the train I was fine,” Griner told The Associated Press that day. “When I sat down and looked out the window I was like, ‘Damn, last time I was here I was on my way to prison.’ Anxiety started to heighten up. Then I realized I was good, there were no bars. I’m going to win gold.”

Griner turned to Netflix to calm her mind during a simple commute with her U.S. teammates to the Paris Olympics.

“Everything was cool,” she said.

That doesn't mean her coach and teammates won't be keeping an eye on Griner.

U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said they were extremely happy for the families upon hearing the news, knowing the men endured “just awful, awful time” without their loved ones back home. Reeve’s mind went immediately to Griner knowing how happy she is.

Reeve spent time with Griner in the locker room after the game.

“This is a great day because she knows what for her what that was like,” Reeve said. “And so now knowing and actually visualizing maybe them going through the experience, she seemed OK. But that’s Brittney. She always seems OK. ... But we’ll certainly be checking on her.”

AP Sports Writer Teresa Walker contributed.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

United States' Brittney Griner, center, stands on the court prior to a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, center, stands on the court prior to a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner (15) is surrounded by teammates, United States' Kelsey Plum (5), United States' Diana Taurasi, (12) and United States' Breanna Stewart (10) after being fouled during a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, center, reacts after being fouled during a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, center, stands on the court prior to a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, center, stands on the court prior to a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

United States' Brittney Griner, center, stands on the court during the national anthem prior to a women's basketball game against Belgium at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Three Americans, two Spaniards and a Czech citizen were arrested Saturday after Venezuelan officials accused them of coming to the South American country to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro.

The arrests were announced on state television by Diosdado Cabello, the nation's powerful interior minister. Cabello said the foreign citizens were part of a CIA-led plot to overthrow the Venezuelan government and kill several members of its leadership. In the television program, Cabello showed images of rifles that he said were confiscated from some of the plotters of the alleged plan.

The arrest of the American citizens included a member of the Navy, who Cabello identified as Wilbert Joseph Castañeda Gomez. Cabello said that Gomez was a former navy seal who had served in Afghanistan, Iraq and Colombia. Spain's embassy in Venezuela did not reply to a request for comment on the arrests of its citizens.

The U.S. State Department late Saturday confirmed the detention of a U.S. military member and said it was aware of “unconfirmed reports of two additional U.S. citizens detained in Venezuela.”

“Any claims of U.S. involvement in a plot to overthrow Maduro are categorically false. The United States continues to support a democratic solution to the political crisis in Venezuela,” the statement said.

The announcement of the arrests comes just two days after the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on 16 allies of Maduro who were accused by the U.S. government of obstructing voting during the disputed July 28 Venezuelan presidential election, and carrying out human rights abuses.

Earlier this week, Spain's parliament recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of the election, angering Maduro allies who called on the Venezuelan government to suspend commercial and diplomatic relations with Spain.

Tensions between Venezuela's government and the U.S. have increased as well following the election, whose result sparked protests within Venezuela in which hundreds of opposition activists were arrested.

Venezuela's Electoral Council, which is closely aligned with the Maduro administration, said Maduro won the election with 52% of the vote, but did not provide a detailed breakdown of the results.

Opposition activists, however, surprised the government by collecting tally sheets from 80% of the nation's voting machines. The tally sheets collected by the opposition were published online, and they indicate that Gonzalez won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro.

Despite international condemnation over the election's lack of transparency, Venezuela's supreme court, which has long backed Maduro, confirmed his victory in August. Venezuela's attorney general then filed conspiracy charges against Gonzalez, who fled to Spain last week after it became clear he would be arrested.

Maduro has dismissed requests from several countries, including the leftist governments of Colombia and Brazil, to provide tally sheets that prove he won the election. Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has long claimed the U.S. is trying to overthrow him through sanctions and covert operations.

The Maduro administration has previously used Americans imprisoned in Venezuela to gain concessions from the U.S. government. In a deal conducted last year with the Biden administration, Maduro released 10 Americans and a fugitive wanted by the U.S. government to secure a presidential pardon for Alex Saab, a close Maduro ally who was held in Florida on money laundering charges. According to U.S. prosecutors, Saab had also helped Maduro to avoid U.S. Treasury sanctions through a complex network of shell companies.

FILE - Socialist Party President Diosdado Cabello gives his weekly press conference, in Catia La Mar, La Guaira, Venezuela, Aug. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

FILE - Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses government loyalists gathered at the presidential palace in support of his reelection one month after the presidential vote, in Caracas, Venezuela, Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)