Belarus Track Athlete Who Hoped for Asylum Ultimately Heads to Poland

▲Kristina Tsimanouskaya [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Kristina Tsimanouskaya (24), a Belarusian national track and field athlete who competed in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and hopes to seek asylum in a third country, is heading to Poland.

According to major foreign media including NHK on the 3rd, Aleksandr Opeykin, chairman of the Belarus Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), stated, "Kristina Tsimanouskaya, Belarus's national short-distance track athlete, will board a flight to Warsaw on the 4th."

Tsimanouskaya is expected to stay at the Polish embassy in Tokyo until her departure.

Marcin Przydacz, Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister, tweeted the day before, "Athlete Tsimanouskaya obtained a visa through the humanitarian consideration of the Polish government," adding, "We will provide any necessary support so that she can continue her sports career."

Upon hearing the news, Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland's Prime Minister, also condemned the Belarusian government's 'kidnapping attempt' as a 'crime' on his social media, stating, "Measures have been taken to ensure Tsimanouskaya can safely stay at the Polish embassy in Tokyo," and "We will assist her in continuing her career as an athlete if she wishes."

This controversy arose when the Belarusian athletics coaching team included Tsimanouskaya, a short-distance runner, in the 1600m relay team without prior consultation.

Tsimanouskaya posted a protest on social media, and Belarusian authorities, claiming the athlete was mentally unstable, ordered her forced return. According to Tsimanouskaya, on the 1st, a coach came to her room, told her to pack, and ordered her forced repatriation.

Belarus has been under the long-term rule of President Aleksandr Lukashenko for 27 years. President Lukashenko is regarded as Europe's last dictator. After Lukashenko was re-elected with over 80% of the vote in last August's presidential election, protests demanding an end to election fraud and the president's resignation have continued.

Amid this, Tsimanouskaya is considered one of the athletes who signed a public petition calling for a re-election and the release of political prisoners during the large-scale protests against the fraudulent election following President Lukashenko's re-election last August.

Because of this background, Tsimanouskaya's forced return is also interpreted as a government kidnapping attempt.