Earlier this week, former NBA star Dennis Rodman announced that he was traveling to Russia to help facilitate the release of WNBA superstar Brittney Griner.
“I got permission to go to Russia to help that girl,” Rodman told NBC News. “I’m trying to go this week.”
But after discouragement from the United States government, Rodman has since changed his mind.
The sports world took to Twitter to react to this news.
“Damn they applied pressure,” one fan wrote.
“He thinks he’s superman or something,” another added.
“They literally negotiating a prisoner swap for her release. Him going was just gonna get in the way,” another said.
Griner, who’s been detained since February, was sentenced to nine years in Russian prison on drug smuggling charges earlier this month. The United States government has classified her as being “wrongfully detained” and has been working on a prisoner trade deal to get her home.
A senior Biden administration official said Rodman’s efforts would’ve further complicated their current negotiations.
“It’s public information that the administration has made a significant offer to the Russians and anything other than negotiating further through the established channel is likely to complicate and hinder release efforts,” the official said, per NBC News.
The State Department has issued a travel advisory for all U.S. citizens not to travel to Russia at this time.