The basketball star, who named his mistake, spoke for the first time about the conditions in a Russian prison

Brittney Griner’s career was at a high point when she found herself in a situation that ultimately required the intervention of the President of the United States.

The midfielder, who won two Olympic gold medals with the US national team, usually divided the season into two parts – she played both in the WNBA championship, where she was selected for the All-Star game nine times, and for the Yekaterinburg UMMC club, which she helped win four women’s Euroleague titles.

But on February 17, 2022, the basketball player was detained at the Sheremetyevo airport when Russian officials charged the basketball player with electronic cigarettes with hemp oil found in her luggage.

Now, on ABC’s 20/20 show, the American told how it all happened.

B. Griner said she was called to play in Russia during the WNBA offseason, and she packed her bags “in a state of panic.”

“At that point, I just threw everything I could get my hands on in my suitcase in a hurry and said to myself, OK, I’m ready.”

B. Griner said that it was a difficult time for her psychologically, and the situation became even worse when she realized that she had forgotten two packs of hemp oil cigarettes when an officer demanded to open her suitcase at the airport.

“I thought, ‘Oh my God,'” Griner recalled. “How could I have been so wrong?” I could only imagine everything I had worked so hard for just falling apart.”

B. Griner was arrested, and the trial was postponed for several months.

During this time, Russia invaded Ukraine and started a brutal war there, which drew condemnation and sanctions from democratic states.

B. Griner’s charges were filed in Russia on July 7, 2022. She claimed that the hemp oil in the luggage was accidental. She tried to justify that she did not want to violate the laws of Russia, and that she had placed the prohibited items through carelessness.

“You know, there were those who said, ‘Go ahead.’ How could you not know that you have capsules in your luggage?”

But everything is simpler if you are psychologically disturbed, B. Griner said. – You know, at that time I was in a psychological hole. But that doesn’t excuse what could have happened.”

The compatriots of the basketball player began to worry about how to free B. Griner, who was locked up in prison.

She said the conditions behind bars while she awaited trial were poor, she sometimes had no toilet paper or soap, and the toothpaste she was given had expired 15 years ago.

“The toothpaste was expired,” B. Griner said. – We used to apply it on black mold to try to protect the walls from mold.

There was a large blood stain on my mattress. They gave me two thin blankets to cover myself with.”

On August 4, 2022, the basketball player was sentenced to nine years in prison. In October 2022, the judge rejected the appeal of B. Griner’s lawyers.

Her thoughts darkened as there was little hope of breaking free.

“I wanted to end my life more than once in the first few weeks. I felt very bad, Griner told ABC. – I just didn’t think I would be able to survive. But there were also such thoughts: “What if they don’t give my body to the family?” I can’t allow it. I have to try.”

After the verdict, B. Griner was transferred to a women’s colony in Russia’s Mordavia region. There was a labor camp there, where the basketball star’s task was to cut materials for Russian military uniforms.

“What were the conditions there?” B. Griner was asked on the “20/20” show.

“It’s very cold,” she replied. – This is a labor camp. You have to work – no rest.”

B. Griner said that the cold affected her health, so she cut her long, braided hair.

“Frankly, there was no other option. Spiders lived above my bed – they made their nests there, – said B. Griner. – My cash registers started to get cold.

They were damp and cold and I got sick. I had to do what I had to do to survive.”

B. Griner said that the Russians told her to write a letter to Vladimir Putin and pray for the Russian president’s forgiveness.

“They forced me to write that letter,” said the basketball player, without naming who specifically told me to do it. – This is Russia. I had to ask for forgiveness and thank the so called great leader. I didn’t want to do it, but at the same time I wanted to go home.”

The White House took active steps to secure the basketball player’s release, and it eventually succeeded. On December 8, 2022, B. Griner was exchanged for Viktor Buta, a Russian arms dealer convicted in the United States.

B. Griner felt liberated, but also responsible.

“It was ultimately my fault. I disappointed everyone,” said the basketball player.

In 2023, B. Griner returned to the field. She again represented the Phoenix Mercury and scored 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in WNBA games.

This year B. Griner hopes to make it to the US national team and perform with it at the Paris Olympic Games.