A former prisoner who spent some time in the same detention facility as Brittney Griner has spoken up about the challenges the WNBA star might face inside the Russian penal colony. A Fresno resident, Sarah Krivanek, spent nearly a year in a penal colony. She faced the atrocities offered by the infamous prison facilities in Russia.

Recently, Krivanek laid out the challenges and the benefits Griner might have inside the IK-2 penal colony. Moreover, Krivanek also gave a scary warning to Brittney Griner, who ‘looks different’ inside a Russian prison.

Krivanek has been in Russia for the past five years and worked as an English teacher. Unfortunately, she was taken into custody for pointing a knife at her abusive boyfriend. She was released from the prison facility after signing an agreement, warning her not to leave the country. However, Krivanek attempted to leave Russia and was arrested at the airport.

Sarah Krivanek was released from prison last month on November 7. However, she still remains stuck in Russia as her visa had expired. The US citizen recently spoke with People magazine from a holding cell as she awaits a flight back home.

Krivanek warns Brittney Griner about the horrors of the penal colony

Krivanek revealed some frightening details about the tough conditions Brittney Griner would have to endure inside the penal colony. She expressed her concerns about Griner’s physical and mental state while issuing a warning to the WNBA star. Krivanek said, “I’ve brutally deteriorated after one year. And she’s facing nine.”

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She revealed that the condition inside the penal colonies had serious effects on her health during her year-long imprisonment. Krivanek also seemed? feared about how the inhumane conditions inside the penal colony will affect Griner during her nine-year sentence.

Further, Krivanek stated it would be hard for BG to survive in the penal colony because of her African American ethnicity and her sexual orientation. The former inmate said, “She looks different, she sounds different, she’s a woman of color, which is very usual and she’s lesbian.”

Krivanek suggested Griner could be subjected to prejudices due to her identity, being an African American woman who is open about being gay.

Krivanek shares the challenges and benefits for Griner

Sarah Krivanek reckoned that the prison administration is likely to accommodate 6’9 ft Brittney Griner. Per Krivanek, BG’s family would have to arrange and pay for the bed and other necessities. She indicated that Griner would have to learn when to keep her head down and when to ‘raise her voice’ amid the unpredictable and dangerous inmates.

Further, Krivanek laid out that the media attention and support from her lawyers & family could protect Brittney Griner inside the penal colony. She disclosed, “But most importantly when the other inmates see this, they’ll back off.”

Krivanek also asserted that the support from Griner’s loved one and the State Department will keep the prison administration from causing her any harm in the IK-2 facility.

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Thus, Sarah Krivanek warned Brittney Griner of the challenges she might be facing in the prison colony. Meanwhile, she also revealed the benefits of the attention and support that the WNBA star is receiving.