WNBA star Brittney Griner spoke at size for the primary time about her detention in Russia throughout an interview with ABC on Wednesday night time.
Griner was travelling from New York to Moscow in February of 2022, as she was taking part in for the Russian basketball membership UMMC Ekaterinburg in the course of the WNBA’s offseason.
Russian authorities detained her in Moscow after discovering vape cartridges containing oil derived from hashish.
She went to trial in Russia and was sentenced to 9 years in a Russian penal colony.
The Phoenix Mercury middle revealed that she considered committing suicide throughout her tenth-month lengthy stint in a Russian jail.
“I needed to take my life greater than as soon as within the first weeks,” Griner instructed interviewer Robin Roberts. “I felt like leaving right here so badly.”
The seven-time WNBA All-Star defined that she determined to not undergo with it for the concern her physique would by no means be launched to her household.
Griner additionally spoke in regards to the horrible dwelling situations in her jail cell, which contained a mattress with “an enormous blood stain on it…no cleaning soap, no bathroom paper.”
All of it made her really feel “lower than human.”
The 2-time Olympic gold medallist mentioned she additionally confronted a psychiatric analysis after being arrested and was fearful she would get institutionalized as a result of Russian authorities take into account homosexuality as a psychological sickness.
The one purpose Griner was freed was as a result of the US did a deal to trade her for Russian arms supplier Viktor Bout.
Earlier than her launch, Griner was pressured to jot down a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“They made me write this letter. It was in Russian,” she mentioned. “I needed to say sorry and thanks from their so-called nice chief. I didn’t wish to do it, however on the identical time I needed to return residence.”
When you or somebody you recognize is considering suicide, please name the US Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or textual content the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741.
