NBA icon Dennis Rodman made headlines over the weekend after he revealed his plan to travel to Russia and help in the Brittney Griner case. Unfortunately, it looks like he's no longer pushing through with his move.
According to an ABC report, Rodman has reversed course and clarified that there are no current plans for him to travel to Moscow despite earlier saying he “got permission to go to Russia to help that girl.”
Rodman going to Russia wouldn't be a surprise given that he has conducted informal diplomacy missions in the past. A lot of people know about his trips to North Korea since developing a friendship with the nation's leader, Kim Jong Un, in 2013.
However, the US government has been strongly against the planned move of the Chicago Bulls legend, with State Department spokesperson Ned Price saying that Rodman “would not be traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.”
Price also issued a warning to Dennis Rodman that he might only complicate things with his visit, emphasizing the the US government is already working things out to help get Brittney Griner out of Russian prison.
“We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts,” Price said.
Griner has been sentenced to nine years in prison in Russia over the drug charges thrown at her. She was detained at an airport after she was found to be carrying a vaporizer cartridge that contained hashish oil, which is an illegal substance in the country. Based on past reports, the US is working on a prisoner swap for Griner.
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