According to reports, the Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya is said to be flown back to her homeland after criticizing sports officials – apparently against her will. The athlete now wants to ask for asylum in Europe, it is said.
The Belarusian athlete Kristina Timanovskaya will no longer participate in the Olympic Games in Tokyo, according to the Belarusian Olympic Committee. According to independent Belarusian media, the 24-year-old is said to have already been brought to the airport after critical comments about Belarusian sports officials in Tokyo.
The opposition Belarusian athletes representative Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) spoke on Instagram on Sunday of a “violent” departure of Timanovskaya. BSSF posted a video on Telegram and Instagram in which Timanovskaya asks the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for help, stating that she has been under pressure and should be taken out of the country against her will. “For this reason I ask the IOC to get involved,” said Timanovskaya.
According to the BSSF, she is currently under the protection of the Japanese police. Timanowskaja wants to ask for asylum in Europe and to contact the Austrian embassy in Tokyo.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on request that it was monitoring the case and had asked the Belarusian Olympic Committee for clarification.
Athlete criticized Belarusian sports officials
A message from the Belarusian Olympic Committee on Telegram said that the runner had been examined by a doctor and would not take part in any further competitions because of her “emotional and psychological state”.
On her Instagram account Timanovskaya described this representation as a “lie”. In an interview with the radio station Euroradio, she said: “They just told me to pack my things and fly home.”
Timanovskaya should have started over 200 meters in advance on Monday. She had previously expressed criticism of sports officials in authoritarian Belarus. The athlete suspected that other Belarusian athletes would not be able to compete because not enough negative doping samples had been submitted for them.
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
