Belarusian Olympic sprinter safe under Tokyo police protection after refusing to go home

200m runner Krystsina Tsimanouskaya says she feared for safety after criticism of team officials

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya alleged her Olympic team tried to remove her from Japan in a dispute that led to a standoff on Sunday. Picture: AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Belarusian Olympic athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who alleges she was taken against her will by team officials to Tokyo airport, is being protected by police and the UN Human Rights Commission are also involved, the IOC confirmed on Monday.

Tsimanouskaya, who was due to compete in the women’s 200m on Monday, sought the protection of Japanese police at Haneda airport on Sunday so that she would not have to board a flight back to Belarus after criticising team officials.