A Belarusian sprinter who had criticised her country’s national coaches for their “negligence” has refused to return home and has sought the protection of the Japanese police at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, a sprinter who was due to compete in the women’s 200 metres race on Monday and the 4x400 metres relay, told Reuters she would not return to Belarus.
Tsimanouskaya, 24, had earlier complained that she had been entered into the 4x400m relay after members of the national team were found ineligible to compete due to not having undergone a sufficient amount of doping tests.
“The coach added me to the relay without my knowledge. I spoke about this publicly. The head coach came over to me and said there had been an order from above to remove me,” she told Reuters.
She was taken to the airport after The Belarusian Olympic Committee decided to drop her from all events, citing doctors’ advice about her “emotional, psychological state”.
She said coaching staff came to her room on Sunday and told her to pack, following which representatives of the Belarusian Olympic team took her to the airport.
At Haneda airport, Tsimanouskaya refused to board the flight back home and could be seen surrounded by Japanese police. She reportedly plans to seek asylum in Austria or Germany.
The Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, which supports athletes who have faced repercussions for their political views (which can include being jailed or being sidelined), had published a video on Telegram asking the International Olympic Committee to get involved in her case.
The IOC told Reuters its governing body had seen media reports and was looking into it.
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged the IOC to take up the athlete's case.
"Grateful to #IOC for the quick reaction to the situation with the Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsymanouskaya. She has a right to international protection & to continue participation in the @Olympics," Tsikhanouskaya tweeted.
Several Belarusian athletes have been jailed following their participation or support for nationwide protests against President Lukashenko’s rule—protests sparked by allegations of vote-rigging following his electoral victory last year. Olympic basketball player Yelena Leuchanka and decathlete Andrei Krauchanka are among those who have been jailed, while several others have lost their state employment or have been removed from the national team.
