MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/. The filing and consideration of the appeal against the court sentence handed to US basketball player Brittney Griner will take up to three months, Griner’s lawyer Alexander Boikov told TASS on Friday.

On Thursday, the Khimki Court of the Moscow Region sentenced Griner to nine years in prison for drug smuggling and possession.

"I had a word with her after the session. Brittney is depressed," Boikov said. "We disagree with such a harsh sentence. In normal judicial practice, prison terms under this article range five to six years. A third, or even half of such sentences are suspended. This is an extraordinary case in our judicial practice."

"It is necessary to appeal. Our client’s consent to this will be obtained," Boikov said.

He believes that the filing and consideration of the appeal will last up to three months.

"In practice, three months are considered normal. After such a harsh verdict the chances of success are slim, but it's worth trying," he said.

Griner was arrested for trying to smuggle narcotic drugs into Russia through Sheremetyevo Airport. When questioned in court, she pleaded guilty, but stressed that she had put the hash oil in her bag in a hurry and without an intent to smuggle drugs. With the US team Griner won the 2014 World Cup in Turkey, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the 2018 World Cup in Spain and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Before her arrest, she played for the BC UMMC team in Yekaterinburg.