- Title: Belarusian sprinter who defected plans to run for Poland
- Date: 19th August 2021
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (RECENT - AUGUST 1, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** TSIMANOUSKAYA STANDING AT HANEDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH POLICE OFFICERS TSIMANOUSKAYA STANDING NEXT TO POLICE POLICE OFFICERS STANDING AROUND TSIMANOUSKAYA NARITA, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN (RECENT - AUGUST 4, 2021) (REUTERS) TSIMANOUSKAYA GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE AND ENTERING AIRPORT BUILDING VARIOUS OF TSIMANOUSKAYA WALKING THROUGH AIRPORT TSIMANOUSKAYA GETTING IN ELEVATOR
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2021 15:43
- Keywords: Belarus Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Olympic games Polish sporting citizenship President Aleksander Lukashenko Tsimanouskaya dispute with coaches
- Location: TOKYO AND NARITA, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN/ WARSAW AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, POLAND
- City: TOKYO AND NARITA, CHIBA PREFECTURE, JAPAN/ WARSAW AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, POLAND
- Country: Belarus
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002EQY5JK7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya who defected during the Tokyo Olympics this month says she plans to apply for Polish sporting citizenship so that she can run for Poland.
Tsimaouskaya, 24, was taken in by Warsaw when her coaches told her to return to Belarus from Japan following a dispute, an order she refused to obey fearing for her safety.
Belarus has been gripped by a sweeping crackdown on anti-government dissent following mass protests that erupted last year over a disputed election.
In an interview with the RBC television channel aired late on Wednesday (August 18), Tsimanouskaya said it can take three years to change sporting citizenship, but she hoped her application would be fast-tracked.
"We are now going to try to change my sporting citizenship so that I can compete for the Polish national team," she said. "I have decided to stay in Poland and compete for the Polish national team."
(Production: Anna Dabrowska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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