In February, one week before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, American Basketball star Britney Griner was arrested after Russian customs officials said they found vape cartridges that contained a small amount of cannabis oil in her luggage.

Now, the WNBA star and Olympic Gold Medalist is in one of Russia's IK-2 penal colonies, a labor camp that has been described as inhumane, where people are forced to work 16-hour days and beaten regularly. The specifics of Griner’s conditions are still unknown. 

 Dave Zirin, sports editor for The National and author of The Kaepernick Effect, spoke with us about why we can't forget Brittney Griner's arrest and Russia's hostage diplomacy.