After his early release from prison, ex-tennis star Boris Becker spoke in a TV interview about his experiences over the past few months. The broadcaster Sat.1 has already published excerpts from the conversation between Becker and moderator Steven Gätjen. “You’re nobody in prison. You’re just a number. Mine was A2923EV. I wasn’t called Boris. I was a number. And they don’t give a fuck who you are,” says the 55-year-old.
The time in prison changed him. “I think I rediscovered the person I used to be. I learned a hard lesson. A very expensive one. A very painful one. But it taught me something important and good. And some things happen for good reasons “said Becker.
The three-time Wimbledon winner was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in April of this year by a London court for delaying bankruptcy. After around seven months in prison, Becker was able to leave prison early and was allowed to travel to Germany. This was made possible by a special regulation in Great Britain. Foreign prisoners can have their sentences waived if they leave the country in order to relieve overcrowded British prisons. Although Boris Becker has lived in London for many years, he is still a German citizen. He is now exempt from punishment in Germany, and for the time being he is no longer allowed to enter Great Britain.
In an interview, Becker describes the last hours before his deportation to Germany as follows: “From six in the morning I sat on the edge of my bed and hoped that the cell door would open. They came at half past seven, unlocked it and asked: Are you ready? I said, ‘Let’s go!’ I had already packed everything.”
The whole interview with Boris Becker can be seen on Tuesday, December 20th from 8:15 p.m. on Sat.1 and on Joyn.
