According to an NGO that supports athletes who are in conflict with Belarus’ authoritarian regime, Belarusian athlete, Krystina Tsimanouskaya, was reportedly removed from the Tokyo Olympics without her consent on Sunday after she criticized sport officials.
The 24-year-old Belarusian athlete was due to compete in the women’s 200m event on Monday but had complained on social media about being entered into another race at short notice after some teammates were found to be ineligible to compete.
Ms. Krystina Tsimanouskaya said officials had come to her room and given her an hour to pack her bags before being escorted to the airport. She says she was “put under pressure” by team officials to return home and asked the IOC for help.
“They are trying to get me out of the country without my permission,” she said in a video posted on the Telegram channel of the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, which was created last year to support athletes during the anti-Lukashenko protests.
On Sunday, Ms. Krystina Tsimanouskaya sought police protection at Haneda’s terminal so she would not have to board the flight, citing fears for her safety if she were to return to Belarus.
The Belarusian Olympic Committee gave a different account of events stating that Tsimanouskaya had left the competition on medical advice, citing problems with her “emotional and psychological state”.
Ms. Tsimanouskaya is said to be considering seeking asylum in Europe.
Sources: BBC, MSN
Follow FiND iT on Facebook here.
ALSO READ: House arrest for Roman Protasevich
