KRASNOGORSK, Russia (Reuters) – A Russian court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner against her nine-year prison sentence for possession and smuggling of drugs. The two-time Olympic gold medallist was arrested on Feb. 17 at a Moscow airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is banned in Russia. She was sentenced on Aug. 4 to nine years in a penal colony. (Reporting by Filipp Lebedev and Olesya Astakhova; Editing by Kevin Liffey)