A Belarusian sprinter left Tokyo en route to Europe yesterday after resisting an attempt by her Olympic team’s officials to send her home to Belarus, where the athlete said she could be in danger from authorities who have relentlessly cracked down on dissent.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya boarded a plane at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport that left the gate for Vienna, but she was expected to travel on to Poland. Before leaving Japan, Tsimanouskaya said she hoped she could continue her career but that safety was her immediate priority.
Several countries offered to help after the 24-year-old runner sought refuge in the European Union, and Poland has granted her a humanitarian visa.
Vadim Krivosheyev, an activist with the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, said Tsimanouskaya took the flight to Austria on the advice of Polish authorities.
“The decision to change the route and fly to Vienna was made by the Polish side for security reasons,” Krivosheyev told The Associated Press.
After landing in Vienna, Tsimanouskaya was expected to head to to Warsaw later Wednesday, according to Krivosheyev.
Tsimanouskaya’s experience at the Tokyo Games became an international issue after she accused Belarusian team officials of hustling her to the airport several days ago and trying to put her on a plane to Belarus because she had criticized the team’s management on social media. The team officials made it clear she would face reprisals back home, she said.
The officials “made it clear that, upon return home, I would definitely face some form of punishment,” Tsimanouskaya told The Associated Press in a videocall interview from Tokyo on Tuesday. “There were also thinly disguised hints that more would await me.”
She added that she believed she would be kicked off Belarus’ national team.
“I would very much like to continue my sporting career because I’m just 24, and I had plans for two more Olympics at least,” Tsimanouskaya said. But “for now, the only thing that concerns me is my safety.”
Reached by phone, Dzmitry Dauhalionak, the head of Belarus’ delegation at the Summer Olympics, declined comment, saying that he has “no words.” MDT/AP
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