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Belarusian Olympic sprinter granted Polish visa

Aug 03, 2021 (NHK) - Poland's deputy foreign minister has revealed that his country issued a humanitarian visa to a Belarusian Olympic athlete who refused to leave Tokyo for her home country.

Marcin Przydacz revealed this on Twitter on Monday.

Przydacz wrote that Poland will do whatever necessary to help the athlete, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, continue her sporting career.

Tsimanouskaya came to Japan to compete in the Olympics. At Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Sunday, the 24-year-old sprinter told Japanese police that she didn't want to go back home. She entered the Polish embassy in Tokyo the following day.

Tsimanouskaya is expected to depart for Poland soon.

Tsimanouskaya earlier told NHK that she was being forcibly sent back home. She said this happened after she complained online about being ordered to compete in an Olympic event that she was not scheduled for.

Tsimanouskaya said the comments were seen as criticism of the Belarusian government.

On Monday, NHK spoke to her husband, who said he has traveled from Belarus to neighboring Ukraine.

Local media outlets said he had to flee to safety due to pressure from the government.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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