Olympic sprinter, fearing for her safety, given asylum in Poland

Poland granted a visa to Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya Monday, after seeking asylum from her home country of Belarus. The video above shows Tsimanouskaya arriving at the Polish embassy in Tokyo, as well as, clips from an interview with a top Belarusian dissident in Poland.

“The Polish side plan to give her assistance to go to Warsaw by the nearest airplane,” Pavel Latushka said. “She will ask here (Warsaw) international security assistance from the government of Poland. Also we appeal to organize her stipendium from the (athletic) federation and also from the Polish authorities to continue for her the possibility to be in professional sport.”

Tsimanouskaya spoke out about how officials were managing her team. On her Instagram, Tsimanouskaya said she was put in the 4×400 relay even though she has never raced in the event.

She received backlash for the post on state-run media back home. Authorities in Belarus have developed the reputation for cracking down hard on government critics, notably being accused of diverting a flight to arrest a dissident journalist. European officials called the diversion an act of air piracy.

Tsimanouskaya apparently started fearing for her safety once she saw the campaign against her. This, according to the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, an activist group that is helping Tsimanouskaya.

“The campaign was quite serious and that was a clear signal that her life would be in danger in Belarus,” Foundation Spokesman Alexander Opeikin said.

Tsimanouskaya was hustled to the airport, but refused to board a flight for Istanbul and approached police for help. In a video shared on social media, she also asked the International Olympic Committee for help.

“I was put under pressure, and they are trying to forcibly take me out of the country without my consent,” the 24-year-old said in the message.

State media has continued to come down hard on Tsimanouskaya. Presenters on state TV channel Belarus 1 called her decision to seek asylum “a cheap stunt” and “a disgusting act” while describing her performance at the Olympics as a “failure.”

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz told a local news agency that once in Poland, Tsimanouskaya will be free to chose whether to stay there or to go to “another safe country.”