WNBA star Brittney Griner shared her emotions upon learning about her imminent release from Russian detention and expressed solidarity with other Americans wrongfully detained abroad in a special segment of “20/20” scheduled to air on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. A preview will be shown earlier in the day on “Good Morning America.”
Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time WNBA All-Star for the Phoenix Mercury, was detained on Feb. 17, 2022, at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Khimki for possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, which is illegal in Russia. She was returning to Russia to play during the WNBA's off-season and was detained one week before Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. The U.S. State Department classified Griner’s case as "wrongfully detained" in May 2022, and after pleading guilty to drug charges on July 7, 2022, she was released on Dec. 8, 2022, in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.
During the interview, Griner expressed her gratitude for the efforts to secure her release and her commitment to advocating for the return of other Americans in similar situations, including Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine charged with espionage in Russia, and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was detained in Russia in March 2023 and charged with espionage. Griner vowed to use her platform to support these efforts and encourage others to continue advocating for the release of wrongfully detained Americans.