Belarusian Olympian offered asylum by Czechia reportedly opts for Poland

Belarusian runner Krystina Tsymanouskaya, who was offered asylum by both the Czech Republic and Poland after her expulsion from her country’s Olympic Team, has been spotted entering the Polish embassy in Tokyo.

Tsymanouskaya received protection from Tokyo police on Sunday after having been ordered by the Belarus team’s head coach to board a plane. Earlier, she had complained in a video on social media about being entered into the 4x400m relay race at short notice.

Her video was then criticized in Belarus state media, but country officials said Tsymanouskaya was removed from the team because of her emotional state.

Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhánek had announced on Sunday that the Czech Republic was ready to grant Tsymanouskaya a visa and asylum. The sprinter was in contact with the Czech ambassador to Japan, but Reuters and the BBC have since reported that she has opted for asylum in Poland.