Brittney Griner Hasn't Been Able to See Consular Officials While Detained in Russia

Officials from the U.S. State Department are unable to gain access to Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner as she remains detained in Russia.

"We insist the Russian government provide consular access to all U.S. citizen detainees in Russia, including those in pre-trial detention, as Brittney Griner is," the department said in a statement to ESPN's T.J. Quinn.

Quinn also provided an update as to Griner's status:

The New York Times' Michael Crowley and Jonathan Abrams first reported on March 5 that Griner had been taken into custody in Russia after Russian authorities alleged she was carrying vape cartridges with hash oil in her luggage prior to a flight.

Rep. Colin Allred clarified to ESPN.com's Mechelle Voepel that Griner was arrested on Feb. 17, multiple weeks prior to news of the arrest surfacing.

TASS, a Russian state-owned news agency, reported Thursday that Griner will remain in detention until at least May 19.

In addition to the lack of information regarding the seven-time WNBA All-Star, one concerning aspect for the uncertainty as to whether drawing more attention to her plight will help her cause.

"If Griner's case does become political, she's at the mercy of Russian President Vladimir Putin," Quinn and Voepel wrote.

They also interviewed Tom Firestone, a lawyer who was a legal adviser for the U.S. embassy in Moscow, who explained the delicate nature of the situation:

"Sometimes cases like this are better off handled in a low-key approach through the criminal justice system. I think the concern is, if it becomes too high-profile, if it becomes political, then the Russian government may dig into their position. It may make it difficult for her to get a good resolution of the case, and she could become a pawn in a bigger political battle."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to get into specifics as to Griner's arrest when addressing the matter on March 6 but confirmed U.S. officials are attempting to resolve the matter.

"There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point," he said. "Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia."