American basketball star Brittney Griner has gone on trial in Russia on charges of illegal cannabis possession.
Ms Griner, a three-time WNBA league champion and seven-time All-Star, was seen arriving handcuffed at a court in the town of Khimki, outside Moscow.
If convicted, the 31-year-old faces up to 10 years in prison.
The US says she is being wrongfully held and should be freed. Russia denies that her detention is motivated by US-Russia tensions over the Ukraine war.
Ms Griner was detained on 17 February at a Moscow-area airport after cannabis oil was allegedly found in her luggage.
A veteran of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), she is considered one of the most dominant players in her sport’s history.
On the eve of her trial, Ms Griner’s wife Cherelle Griner, told CNN the Biden’s administration had not done enough to bring her partner home.
“I have to push people to make sure the things they are telling me are matching their actions,” she said. “It’s really really difficult.”
The White House and US State Department did not immediately return requests for comment.
Last weekend, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a televised interview that Ms Griner’s case was an “absolute priority”.
Ms Griner had travelled to Russia to play for EuroLeague team UMMC Ekaterinburg, where she had worked since 2014 during the US off-season. Roughly half of WNBA players compete overseas in the off-season.
For most, it’s a way to augment their domestic income, with WNBA players being paid roughly five times more in Russia than they do in the US.
The 10-year maximum prison sentence faced by Ms Griner applies to “large-scale transportation of drugs”.
However, even if acquitted at the trial, the government in Russia has the authority to overturn any decision and still send her to prison.
