Reuters reports:
A Belarusian sprinter said she was taken to the airport against her wishes on Sunday to board a flight back home after she complained about national coaches at the Tokyo Olympics.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who was due to compete in the women’s 200 metres on Monday, told Reuters she did not plan to return to her home country. She said she had sought the protection of Japanese police at Tokyo’s Haneda airport so she would not have to board the flight.
“I will not return to Belarus,” she told Reuters in a message over Telegram. A source at the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, which supports athletes jailed or sidelined for their political views, said Tsimanouskaya planned to request asylum in Germany or Austria on Monday.
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❗️On Friday after she criticised Belarus national team’s management the regime media started a “you are a disgrace to your nation” campaign against her. She said she’s now afraid to return to Belarus but the officials took her to the Tokyo airport by force. Her flight is in 3 hrs https://t.co/i3jY81UCGx
— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) August 1, 2021
Japanese police have arrived to the airport. “I am with the police right now. They are deciding what could be done” – Tsimanouskaya. pic.twitter.com/PPYHsvMYMi
— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) August 1, 2021
Exclusive: Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said she was taken to the airport against her wishes to board a flight back home after she publicly complained about national coaches at the Tokyo #Olympics. @gabrielletf reports https://t.co/jICTnn3L4p pic.twitter.com/656Yc9nS93
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 1, 2021
Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsymanouskaya was forced by the regime to leave the @Olympics in Tokyo & fly to Belarus after criticizing Belarus’ management of the national team during the games. She’s afraid to come back to Minsk. No athlete should be forced this way. pic.twitter.com/1Ros5scrJG
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) August 1, 2021
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. It is also crucial to investigate Belarus’ NOC violations of athletes’ rights. pic.twitter.com/QQHuhgcYqs
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) August 1, 2021
A Belarusian runner who publicly spoke about the “negligence” of her Olympic coaches says she’s been taken against her will to the Tokyo airport.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya is now pleading for help from Japanese police and vowing not to return to Belarus.https://t.co/uH3VtKEF3m
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) August 1, 2021