- Aug 6, 2012
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Money always talks but the use of the word "autocratic" doesn't have the same accuracy as it once did. Canada has been failing in regards to human rights and transparency for decades which is why we lose doctors, nurses, high value Phds in math, physic etc, primarily to the U.S but also now to China, Germany and Japan.
For all those who leave Canada, including maybe the smartest guy I ever met in my high school who is doing quite well in the U.S today, should we just openly state that America is more free and appealing to Canadians than Canadas unaccountable police state? We need more mirrors in Canada, but I digress.
In the case of this woman, let's be blunt, she is nothing but a pawn for the exchange that Russia knows it can extract from the U.S. Now, I believe nations should do their best to defend their citizens and bring them home, but, there is a major difference between her and so many other unfortunate citizens who are sitting in foreign prisons for even less. She isn't going to do nine years even if America didn't make a deal. They wanted it to be a strong sentence to squeeze the U.S.
Basketball star Brittney Griner's politically charged entanglement in Russia may give other athletes pause when pursuing contracts in authoritarian states, though sports observers say economic need is what drives them to seek opportunities abroad in the first place.
And unless that changes, players being offered a better opportunity somewhere else may be tempted to pursue it, despite the risks.
Griner, a 31-year-old WNBA star, had been heading to Russia to play basketball each winter — reportedly banking a $1-million US paycheque, more than quadruple what she made back home.
Matt Slan, the founder and CEO of Slan Sports Management, a Toronto-based company representing basketball players, told CBC News that Griner's story seems likely to serve as "a harsh warning signal" to other athletes, but not necessarily a total deterrent to playing in similar authoritarian jurisdictions.
In Russia this week, Griner was sentenced to spend nine years in prison on drug possession charges. The highest levels of the U.S. government say they are actively fighting for her release.
As wealthy states from Russia to China and Saudi Arabia look to expand their footprints in professional sports, the lure of high salaries is likely to continue drawing some athletes from democracies, business observers said, despite Griner's imprisonment.
For all those who leave Canada, including maybe the smartest guy I ever met in my high school who is doing quite well in the U.S today, should we just openly state that America is more free and appealing to Canadians than Canadas unaccountable police state? We need more mirrors in Canada, but I digress.
In the case of this woman, let's be blunt, she is nothing but a pawn for the exchange that Russia knows it can extract from the U.S. Now, I believe nations should do their best to defend their citizens and bring them home, but, there is a major difference between her and so many other unfortunate citizens who are sitting in foreign prisons for even less. She isn't going to do nine years even if America didn't make a deal. They wanted it to be a strong sentence to squeeze the U.S.
Basketball star Brittney Griner's politically charged entanglement in Russia may give other athletes pause when pursuing contracts in authoritarian states, though sports observers say economic need is what drives them to seek opportunities abroad in the first place.
And unless that changes, players being offered a better opportunity somewhere else may be tempted to pursue it, despite the risks.
Griner, a 31-year-old WNBA star, had been heading to Russia to play basketball each winter — reportedly banking a $1-million US paycheque, more than quadruple what she made back home.
Matt Slan, the founder and CEO of Slan Sports Management, a Toronto-based company representing basketball players, told CBC News that Griner's story seems likely to serve as "a harsh warning signal" to other athletes, but not necessarily a total deterrent to playing in similar authoritarian jurisdictions.
In Russia this week, Griner was sentenced to spend nine years in prison on drug possession charges. The highest levels of the U.S. government say they are actively fighting for her release.
As wealthy states from Russia to China and Saudi Arabia look to expand their footprints in professional sports, the lure of high salaries is likely to continue drawing some athletes from democracies, business observers said, despite Griner's imprisonment.
