Belarus Olympic sprinter 'happy' to be in Poland

Tokyo, August 5: Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said she was "happy" to be in Poland on Thursday (August 5), after claiming Belarus team officials tried to force her to fly home from the Tokyo Olympics.

In her first press conference since landing in Poland a day prior, the athlete told reporters and officials that she was relieved to be "in safety."

Tsimanouskaya sparked concern after she sought protection with Tokyo 2020 officials on Sunday, saying Belarus team officials had tried to force her to leave the Games and return home.

What did she say?

Tsimanouskaya revealed on Thursday (August 5) the dramatic sequence of events that led her to fly home once she had reached the safety of Poland.

The athlete told reporters that her team official had told her to say she was injured so she would have to return home, but she had refused.

The sprinterꞌs social media criticism of the way the team was being managed led to her being singled out as mentally ill on state television. At that point, her grandmother told her not to return.

Several countries in the European Union offered help, with Poland granting Tsimanouskaya a humanitarian visa.

The 24-year-old thanked those who had backed her during the tense diplomatic standoff.

"It was the whole world, and these people make me much stronger,'' she said.

She also said she stood by her fellow Belarusian's right to express themselves.

"I want to tell all Belarusians not to be afraid and if they're under pressure, speak out," Tsimanouskaya said.

What does her future hold?

Despite her ordeal, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya does not want to give up on her running career.

Speaking more of her disagreement with the Belarusian officials, she said she was scheduled to run a race at the Olympics she had never competed in. It was this that led to her falling out with Belarusian team officials and her consequent social media outburst.

She said she will now speak to Polish officials about her athletic future on Friday.

The sprinter expressed hopes of returning to the Olympics and even her country at some point, but only when it is safe to do so.

Several activists have fled to Poland and other neighboring countries following a crackdown on dissent led by President Alexander Lukashenko's government. Lukashenko previously headed the country's National Olympic Committee for almost a quarter of a century before his son took over the role earlier this year.

Tsimanouskaya will soon be joined by her husband, Arseni Zdanevich, who left Belarus this week after Poland granted granted him a visa.

"Being forced to leave the Olympic area is one of the numerous examples of repressions used by the regime against Belarusians," said Pavel Latushka, former Belarusian government minister told DW on Wednesday (August 4).

Protests against Lukashenko led to over 35,000 arrests of activists and journalists in Belarus.

A prominent Belarusian activist in Kiev was found hanged in a park on Monday, prompting Ukrainian police to investigate a possible murder staged as a suicide.

jc/rs (Reuters, AP)

Source: DW