Over a year after her release from Russia, Brittney Griner participated in her first interview, discussing the challenges she faced during her time in custody. In a conversation with Robin Roberts for 20/20 in May 2024, the basketball player recounted her fears after hearing about her nine-year sentence.
Griner was transferred to the IK-2 penal colony in Mordovia, located approximately 325 miles east of Moscow, where her worst fears materialized. The conditions in the Russian prison were dire: her mattress stained with blood and a lack of basic necessities such as soap and toilet paper left her feeling dehumanized. \