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Belarusian Olympian Tsimanouskaya arrives in Warsaw

05.08.2021 10:40
Belarusian Olympic athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who has been granted a Polish humanitarian visa, "has safely landed in Warsaw," a Polish deputy foreign minister has announced.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya arrives in Warsaw on Wednesday.
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya arrives in Warsaw on Wednesday.Photo: Tymon Markowski/Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

"Kriscina Cimanouska has safely landed in Warsaw," Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz said in a tweet late on Wednesday.

"I want to thank all Polish consular and diplomatic staff involved, who flawlessly planned and secured her safe journey," he added.

"Poland continues to show its solidarity and support," Przydacz also tweeted in English.

Tsimanouskaya left Tokyo aboard a flight to Vienna under Polish diplomatic protection on Wednesday after spending two nights at the Polish embassy in the Japanese capital, news agencies reported.

Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (centre) walks on her way to board a plane at Narita Airport near Tokyo on Wednesday. Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (centre) walks on her way to board a plane at Narita Airport near Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: EPA/JIJI PRESS via PAP
Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (left) with Austrian State Secretary Magnus Brunner (right) during a stopover en route to Poland from Tokyo, at Vienna's Schwechat Airport on Wednesday.Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (left) with Austrian State Secretary Magnus Brunner (right) during a stopover en route to Poland from Tokyo, at Vienna's Schwechat Airport on Wednesday. Photo: EPA/Florian Schroetter

She later boarded a LOT Polish Airlines flight to Warsaw, where she touched down on Wednesday evening, according to Poland's PAP news agency.

Another Polish deputy foreign minister, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, shared a few photos of her arrival on social media. 

Tsimanouskaya caused a diplomatic incident on Sunday when she said her coaches had cut her Tokyo Games short, demanding she pack her bags at the Olympic village and taking her to the airport against her wishes because she had publicly criticised them, the Reuters news agency reported.

Poland this week issued a humanitarian visa to the 24-year-old, who had been due to compete in the women's 200m event at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.

'We are a country of solidarity'

Poland's Przydacz told BBC News in an interview on Wednesday that Tsimanouskaya "is happy to be in Warsaw and waiting for her husband to join her."

"We are a country of solidarity," Przydacz also said. "We have been supporting Belarusian civil society, independent media, but also ordinary Belarusians who have had to flee their country for political reasons. So that was quite a natural step for us, to offer our support."

The Belarusian sprinter has competed at world and European championships and won the women’s 200m at the 2019 Universiade in Naples.

Last year, when the Belarusian opposition protested after the country's disputed presidential election, she condemned violence and expressed support for free speech.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday offered his country's “support and solidarity” to Tsimanouskaya.

His office tweeted on Tuesday that "in the coming days, she will arrive in Warsaw, where she will be able to develop unhindered and, if she wishes, receive further assistance."

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters