Britney Talks to Robin Roberts about Russia

Brittney Griner is revealing more about the awful conditions she faced while in prison in Russia during her initial television interview.

The WNBA star will be speaking with Robin Roberts in a special primetime episode of 20/20 that will be broadcast on ABC on May 1.

In her first television interview, Brittney Griner is revealing the harsh conditions she faced during her time in a Russian prison.

The WNBA athlete will have an interview with Robin Roberts for a primetime special on ABC's 20/20 show airing on May 1st.

In a sneak peek from the special called "Prisoner in Russia: The Brittney Griner Interview," the basketball player becomes emotional as she reflects on being treated poorly in a Russian prison after being found guilty of drug-related charges in 2022. She describes feeling dehumanized during her time in a penal colony.

“I was just so scared for everything,” Griner informs Roberts

The double Olympic gold medalist shares the poor conditions she experienced in prison, noting that she discovered a large knife on a table, indicating she may have to defend herself to survive.

Griner, who is 33 years old, also mentioned that her cell was very dirty.

“The mattress had this huge blood stain on it. I had no soap, no toilet paper. That was the moment where I just felt less than a human,” Griner recollects

She informs Roberts she considered taking her life during the 10-month ordeal. “There were times when I didn’t think I could get through what I needed to get through,” she adds

Griner was detained at Moscow Airport on February 17, 2022 when Russian authorities discovered vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her baggage.

She went to Russia during the off-season to play and make extra money. She claimed to have a doctor's prescription for the hashish oil.

She was found guilty and given a nine-year sentence in a harsh prison camp. She tried to challenge the sentence in court, but a Russian court denied her appeal.

The US government stated that Griner had been detained by Russian authorities unreasonably and requested her immediate release. Activists claimed that she was being manipulated by Russia for political purposes, as the country was receiving widespread criticism for its invasion of Ukraine.

Following several months of discussions with the Biden administration, Russian officials released Griner on December 8, 2022.