(NEW YORK) — Terry Strada, the chair of the organization 9/11 Families United, which advocates for families of victims and survivors of the 2001 attacks, was shocked when she heard that the LIV Golf Tournament would be playing at the Bedminster Golf Course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
“I couldn’t believe that it was actually going to be playing right there practically in my backyard,” she told ABC News’ podcast “Start Here.”
Strada used to live in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, a few miles from the course where the international golf tournament will play over the weekend. Her husband, Tom Strada, was working in one of the World Trade Center towers and died during the attack.
Strada said that 17 families in Basking Ridge lost a family member during the 9/11 attacks and told ABC News the fact that the LIV Golf Tournament, which is sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government, is playing nearby hits too close to home.
“We’re very disappointed in the players,” she said. “We’ve tried to point out to them, I wrote them a letter when this all began.”
For Strada, the connection between the Saudi Arabian government and the attacks on 9/11 is indisputable. “It is no longer alleged,” Strada said. “We are in the courtrooms with a lawsuit against the kingdom.”
“The kingdom actually provided the support network that was needed for the first arriving hijackers and most likely all of them to set up what they needed to plan, practice and carry out the attacks,” she told “Start Here,” citing President Joe Biden’s executive order in 2021 that led to documents being declassified.
“We know that 15 of the 19 of them [9/11 hijackers] were Saudi nationals, but now we know there was this anti-American pro-jihadist program that was set up in the Saudi Embassy, and it was running out of the consulate out in California, and it was filled with extremists,” Strada said.
The LIV Golf Tournament has raised eyebrows since it launched in London last month, with critics calling it the latest example of “sportswashing,” the process by which a group will launder its reputation with professional sporting events.
The golf tournament has managed to secure some of the biggest players in the game, and will travel across three countries in the following months.
The tournament first came under scrutiny because of the allegations of human rights violations against the kingdom, including the 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Critics claimed that the kingdom is spending billions of dollars in order to improve its public image, and called on high-profile players such as Phil Mickelson to refuse to play.
The Bedminster golf course that is the site of the LIV Golf tournament is owned by former President Donald Trump, who “has been on record saying that he thinks this was a great move by the Saudis, that they’ve gotten great publicity,” “Start Here” host Brad Mielke said in his conversation with Strada.
“They haven’t done anything to make amends for the worst terrorist attack that ever happened on American soil,” Strada told ABC News.
“They put a lot of money into our economy for all the same reasons, they just try to buy respect. And you can’t buy respect. You have to earn it.”
Strada registered her “huge disappointment” with Biden, saying 9/11 families tried unsuccessfully to secure a meeting with the president prior to his recent visit to Saudi Arabia. Strada said it was important for the families whose loved ones died on Sept. 11, 2001, to “get the justice that we deserve.”
“The kingdom has not been held accountable for the pipeline of money that they used to funnel terrorism. The kingdom needs to be held responsible and accountable for that,” she said.
(NEW YORK) — Brittney Griner testified on Wednesday in a Russian court more than five months after she was detained in the country, saying she did not mean to violate Russian law when bringing vape cartridges into the country.
Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native who plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained on Feb. 17 at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki as she returned to Russia to play during the WNBA’s offseason after she was accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.
Griner said she did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag, but that she was in a hurry and was stressed after recovering from COVID-19 that month. The WNBA star said she was aware that the U.S. had warned Americans about traveling to Russia, but she didn’t want to let her team down in the playoffs.
Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in court earlier this month, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly. She said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.
Earlier this month, one of Griner’s attorneys presented a letter from an American doctor in court, giving her permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.
Her legal team told ABC News in a statement earlier this month that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.
“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” the lawyers said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
The WNBA star briefly spoke to ABC News during a break in Tuesday’s proceedings at a courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki. When asked whether she has any complaints, she said: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.”
She also shared with ABC News a message for her wife, Cherelle, who recently graduated from law school.
“Good luck on the bar exam,” Griner said.
Griner’s legal team continued to present evidence on Tuesday and called another witness to testify as pressure mounts on the United States to negotiate her release.
A Russian narcologist, Dr. Mikhail Tetyushkin, testified on Tuesday that cannabis is often used by professional athletes to treat sports injuries because of its therapeutic properties, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory. However, with constant use, it may impair motor coordination and reaction time, which is why athletes should not take it permanently, according to Tetyushkin. He also noted that there are no international standards to differentiate medical cannabis from a drug.
Since Griner’s trial began on July 1, several Russian individuals have testified in court as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury center, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg. Witnesses include Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC; team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team; and Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, who said that Griner was the leader of the team.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began one week after Griner was detained, and some officials have expressed concern that Americans jailed in Russia could be used as leverage in the ongoing conflict.
The U.S. Department of State classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”
Calls to free Griner escalated following the May release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday afternoon that officials were with Griner in court on Tuesday, and confirmed that she was “doing OK,” and the department has “routinely conveyed those discussions” to Griner’s wife.
“I would say that we have made the case of Brittney Griner, we have made the case of Paul Whelan, an absolute priority and we are working actively, quietly, behind the scenes to do everything we can to see that their wrongful detentions come to an end as quickly as possible,” Price said.
Price added that the administration won’t be satisfied until Griner is back with her family.
“We don’t look at this in terms of satisfaction. We look at this through the lens of doing everything we possibly can to see to it that these individuals are reunited with their families as quickly as we can,” Price said.
(NEW YORK) — Brittney Griner is expected to testify on Wednesday in a Russian court more than five months after she was detained in the country and after the WNBA star’s legal team requested more time for her to prepare.
Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native who plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained on Feb. 17 at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki as she returned to Russia to play during the WNBA’s offseason after she was accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.
If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.
Griner pleaded guilty to drug charges in court earlier this month, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly. She said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.
Earlier this month, one of Griner’s attorneys presented a letter from an American doctor in court, giving her permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.
Her legal team told ABC News in a statement earlier this month that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.
“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” the lawyers said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
The WNBA star briefly spoke to ABC News during a break in Tuesday’s proceedings at a courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki. When asked whether she has any complaints, she said: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.”
She also shared with ABC News a message for her wife, Cherelle, who recently graduated from law school.
“Good luck on the bar exam,” Griner said.
Griner’s legal team continued to present evidence on Tuesday and called another witness to testify as pressure mounts on the United States to negotiate her release.
A Russian narcologist, Dr. Mikhail Tetyushkin, testified on Tuesday that cannabis is often used by professional athletes to treat sports injuries because of its therapeutic properties, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory. However, with constant use, it may impair motor coordination and reaction time, which is why athletes should not take it permanently, according to Tetyushkin. He also noted that there are no international standards to differentiate medical cannabis from a drug.
Since Griner’s trial began on July 1, several Russian individuals have testified in court as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury center, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg. Witnesses include Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC; team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team; and Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, who said that Griner was the leader of the team.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began one week after Griner was detained, and some officials have expressed concern that Americans jailed in Russia could be used as leverage in the ongoing conflict.
The U.S. Department of State classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”
Calls to free Griner escalated following the May release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday afternoon that officials were with Griner in court on Tuesday, and confirmed that she was “doing OK,” and the department has “routinely conveyed those discussions” to Griner’s wife.
“I would say that we have made the case of Brittney Griner, we have made the case of Paul Whelan, an absolute priority and we are working actively, quietly, behind the scenes to do everything we can to see that their wrongful detentions come to an end as quickly as possible,” Price said.
Price added that the administration won’t be satisfied until Griner is back with her family.
“We don’t look at this in terms of satisfaction. We look at this through the lens of doing everything we possibly can to see to it that these individuals are reunited with their families as quickly as we can,” Price said.
(NEW YORK) — As Brittney Griner returned to court in Russia on Tuesday for her drawn-out trial on drug charges, the American basketball star told ABC News she has a message for her wife, Cherelle, who recently graduated from law school.
“Good luck on the bar exam,” Griner said.
Griner briefly spoke to ABC News during a break in Tuesday’s proceedings at a courthouse in the Moscow suburb of Khimki. When asked whether she has any complaints, she said: “No, no complaints. Just waiting patiently.”
She arrived in court that morning holding up two photographs in a clear, plastic sleeve. When asked during the break who was in the photos, she told ABC News: “My wife. My two best friends, my teammates.”
Griner’s legal team continued to present evidence and called another witness to testify on Tuesday as pressure mounts on the United States to secure her release.
Griner, a 31-year-old Houston native who plays professional basketball for the Phoenix Mercury, was returning to Russia to play in the WNBA’s offseason when she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki on Feb. 17, after being accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.
Cherelle Griner has told ABC News that she has communicated with Brittney Griner “sporadically” through letters but hasn’t spoken to her via telephone since she was arrested. The U.S. government had arranged for the couple to connect on the phone last month, during their fourth anniversary, but that had to be rescheduled due to a “logistical error,” according to U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist was expected to testify last week, but her testimony was delayed until Wednesday at the request of her legal team so she could have more time to prepare. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.
Griner pleaded guilty on drug charges in court last week, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly. She said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.
Her legal team told ABC News in a statement last week that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.
“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” the lawyers said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
Since Griner’s trial began on July 1, several Russian individuals have testified in court as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury center, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg.
The first witness was Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC. The second witness was team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team. A third witness, Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, said that Griner was the leader of the team.
One of Griner’s attorney also presented a letter from an American doctor in court earlier this month, giving Griner permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.
On Tuesday, a Russian narcologist, Dr. Mikhail Vityushkin, testified that cannabis is often used by professional athletes to treat sports injuries because of its therapeutic properties, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory. However, with constant use, it may impair motor coordination and reaction time, which is why athletes should not take it permanently, according to Vityushkin. He also noted that there are no international standards to differentiate medical cannabis from a drug.
The U.S. Department of State classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier this month that Griner’s guilty plea will have “no impact” on any of the negotiations to bring her home.
Calls to free Griner escalated following the May release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.
“This is something that is, as you’ve heard from us consistently, is an absolute priority for Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken,” Price, the State Department spokesperson, told reporters during Monday’s press briefing in Washington, D.C. “We are working around the clock, behind the scenes, quietly, to do everything we possibly can to see to it that Brittany Griner’s ordeal, just as Paul Whelan’s ordeal, is put to an end just as soon as can be possibly managed.”
Price added that Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth Rood, from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, was expected to be at Griner’s hearings this week.
(NEW YORK) — Brittney Griner’s legal team is set to present evidence at the WNBA star’s trial in Russia on Tuesday as pressure mounts on the Biden administration to secure her release.
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was visiting Russia to play basketball in the offseason when she was detained at Sheremetyevo International Airport after being accused of having vape cartridges containing hashish oil, which is illegal in the country.
The Phoenix Mercury star was expected to testify last week, but her testimony was delayed until Wednesday at the request of her legal team so she could have more time to prepare. If convicted, Griner, 31, faces up to 10 years in prison and also has a right to an appeal.
Griner pleaded guilty on drug charges in court last week, saying that the vape cartridges containing hashish oil were in her luggage mistakenly.
Griner’s attorney presented a letter from an American doctor in court earlier this month, giving Griner permission to use cannabis to reduce chronic pain.
Griner, who has been detained in Russia since Feb. 17, said she had no “intention” of breaking Russian law and did not mean to leave the cartridges in her bag.
Her legal team told ABC News in a statement last week that her “guilty” plea was recommended by her Russian attorneys.
“Brittney sets an example of being brave. She decided to take full responsibility for her actions as she knows that she is a role model for many people,” the attorneys said in the statement. “Considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and BG’s personality and history of positive contributions to global and Russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence.”
Her trial, which is taking place in Khimki, a suburb of Moscow, began on July 1 as the U.S. government works to secure her release.
Earlier this month, several Russian individuals testified in court as character witnesses about their experience with the Phoenix Mercury player, who also played in the WNBA offseason for UMMC, a Russian basketball club in the city of Yekaterinburg.
The first witness was Maxim Ryabkov, the director of UMMC. The second witness was team doctor Anatoly Galabin, who said that Griner never tested positive for doping while playing for the team. A third witness, Evgenia Belyakova, one of Griner’s Russian teammates, said that Griner was the leader of the team.
The U.S. government classified Griner’s case on May 3 as “wrongfully detained.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters earlier this month that Griner’s guilty plea will have “no impact” on any of the negotiations to bring her home.
Calls to free Griner escalated following the May release of U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was freed from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange. Former Marine Paul Whelan has also been detained in Russia since 2019.
“This is something that is, as you’ve heard from us consistently, is an absolute priority for Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Monday. “We are working around the clock, behind the scenes, quietly, to do everything we possibly can to see to it that Brittany Griner’s ordeal, just as Paul Whelan’s ordeal, is put to an end just as soon as can be possibly managed.”
Price added that Chargé d’Affaires Elizabeth Rood, from the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, was expected to be at Griner’s hearings this week.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
Detroit 12, San Diego 4
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston 3, Cleveland 1
Baltimore 5, Tampa Bay 1
Kansas City 7, LA Angels 0
Oakland 7, Houston 5
Seattle 4 Texas 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cincinnati 11, Miami 2
Philadelphia 6, Atlanta 4
Chi Cubs 3, Pittsburgh 2
Colorado 2, Milwaukee 0
Arizona 7, San Francisco 0
Washington 4 L.A. Dodgers 1
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INTERLEAGUE
LA Angels 9, Atlanta 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox 6, Cleveland 3
Minnesota 9, Detroit 1
NY Yankees 6, Baltimore 0
Kansas City 4, Tampa Bay 2
Toronto 8, Boston 4
Houston 8, Seattle 5
Texas 11, Oakland 8
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chi Cubs 4, Philadelphia 3
Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 3
Miami 6, Pittsburgh 5
Milwaukee 10, Colorado 9
LA Dodgers 7, San Francisco 4
Washington 4, Arizona 3
NY Mets 8, San Diego 5
WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Dallas 96, Indiana 86
Seattle 82, Atlanta 72
Connecticut 86, Minnesota 79
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
New York 4, Austin FC 3
LA Galaxy 2, Atlanta 0
(NEW YORK) — As the U.S.’s intensifying heat wave continues into the weekend, the New York City Triathlon shortened its bike and run courses for Sunday’s Triathlon and Duathlon races.
Record high temperatures and excessive heat are expected to hit the Northeast with possible record high temperatures in New York City reaching 98 degrees on Sunday.
“With temperatures expected to reach the mid-90s this Sunday, in collaboration with local officials and meteorologists, we have made the difficult decision to shorten the run and bike portions of the NYC Triathlon and Duathlon. The safety of our athletes and everyone in attendance is our top priority,” the triathlon said in a statement.
The bike course will be shortened from 40 kilometers, or 24.8 miles, to 20 kilometers, or 12.4 miles. The course’s north turnaround will now be at 181st St and the West Side Highway.
The run race course will be reduced from 6.2 miles to 2.5 miles. The first leg of the Duathlon Run will be reduced from 2 miles to 1 mile and the second leg will be reduced from 6.2 miles to 2.5 miles. The course’s south turnaround will be around 90th St and West Side Highway.
“While it is disappointing to reduce the length of both races, our number one priority is to do all we can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our competitors, volunteers, medical personnel and spectators,” the triathlon said in a statement on its website.
This will be the twentieth running of the New York City Triathlon and its first-ever official Duathlon.
The New York City Triathlon strongly encouraged its athletes to maintain hydration before, during and after races.
There will be touchless aid stations within the transition and at miles 0.9, 1.9 and along the run course. There will be medical support and toilets at each aid station and ice towels will be handed out at the finish line.
-ABC News’ Max Golembo contributed to this report.
