The U.S. government on Monday strongly discouraged former NBA player Dennis Rodman from traveling to Russia to help secure the release of detained WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Rodman, a five-time NBA champion, announced that he plans to travel to Russia in comments he made to NBC News while dining at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
"I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl," Rodman reportedly told NBC News. "I'm trying to go this week."
Griner, who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17, was found guilty on drug charges earlier this month and was sentenced to nine years in prison after vape cartridges containing hashish oil -- an illegal substance in Russia -- were discovered in her luggage at the airport.
Timeline of Brittney Griner's detention in Russia as US vows to secure her release
A State Department spokesperson told ABC News during a press briefing on Monday that if Rodman does travel to Russia, "he would not be traveling on behalf of the U.S. government."
"We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts," Price added.
ABC News has reached out to representatives of Rodman for comment.
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Russia cleared him for travel.
The U.S. government on Monday strongly discouraged former NBA player Dennis Rodman from traveling to Russia to help secure the release of detained WNBA star Brittney Griner.
Rodman, a five-time NBA champion, announced that he plans to travel to Russia in comments he made to NBC News while dining at a restaurant in Washington, D.C.
"I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl," Rodman reportedly told NBC News. "I'm trying to go this week."
Griner, who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17, was found guilty on drug charges earlier this month and was sentenced to nine years in prison after vape cartridges containing hashish oil -- an illegal substance in Russia -- were discovered in her luggage at the airport.
Timeline of Brittney Griner's detention in Russia as US vows to secure her release
A State Department spokesperson told ABC News during a press briefing on Monday that if Rodman does travel to Russia, "he would not be traveling on behalf of the U.S. government."
"We believe that anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder those release efforts," Price added.
ABC News has reached out to representatives of Rodman for comment.
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