Krystsina Tsimanouskaya

Krystsina Siarheyeuna Tsimanouskaya[a] (Belarusian: Крысціна

Сяргееўна Ціманоўская, Łacinka: Kryscina Siarhiejeŭna
Krystsina Tsimanouskaya
Cimanoŭskaja, pronounced [t͡simanˈɔwskaja]; born 19 November
1996) is a Belarusian sprinter.[1] She won a silver medal in the
100 metres at the 2017 European U23 Championships in
Bydgoszcz, Poland; a gold medal in the 200 metres at the 2019
Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy; and a silver medal in the team
event at the 2019 European Games in Minsk, Belarus.[2]

Tsimanouskaya qualified to represent Belarus at the 2020 Summer

Olympics in the women's 100 m and 200 m events. On 30 July
2021, during the Games, she accused officials from the Belarus
Olympic Committee of forcing her to compete in the 4 × 400 m
relay race without her consent. On 1 August 2021, she was taken to
Tokyo's Haneda Airport against her will, where she refused to
board a flight back to Belarus. She was subsequently given police
protection before being granted a humanitarian visa by Poland, to
which she traveled on 4 August.

Contents
Tsimanouskaya at the 2019 Summer
Early life Universiade
International competitions Personal information
Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Born 19 November 1996
Repatriation incident and asylum Klimavichy, Mogilev
Personal bests Region, Belarus
Explanatory notes Height 168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
References Weight 61.5 kg (136 lb)
Further reading Sport
Sport Athletics

Early life Event(s) 100 m, 200 m

Club BFST Dynamo
Krystsina Siarheyeuna Tsimanouskaya was born in Klimavichy, a Medal record
town in eastern Belarus.[3] Though she raced for fun as a child, she
joined competitive athletics late, receiving an offer from an Olympic Representing Belarus
trainer to join his academy when she was around 15 years old. Her European Games
parents were initially worried, thinking she would not achieve an 2019 Minsk team event
athletic career; they were convinced by Tsimanouskaya and her
Summer Universiade
grandmother.[4]
2019 Naples 200 metres
European Athletics U23
 Championships
International competitions
2017 Bydgoszcz 100 metres
Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing Belarus

100
6th 11.85
European Junior Eskilstuna, m
2015
Championships Sweden 200
17th (h) 24.51
m
European Indoor Belgrade,
12th (sf) 60 m 7.39
Championships Serbia
100
2017 2nd 11.54
European U23 Bydgoszcz, m
Championships Poland 200
4th 23.32
m
Birmingham,
World Indoor
United 31st (h) 60 m 7.37
Championships
Kingdom
2018 100
13th (sf) 11.34
European Berlin, m
Championships Germany 200
10th (sf) 23.03
m
Glasgow,
European Indoor
United 7th 60 m 7.26
Championships
Kingdom
100
6th 11.44
m
Universiade Naples, Italy
2019 200
1st 23.00
m
World 200
Doha, Qatar 26th (h) 23.22
Championships m
European Minsk,
2nd team TBC
Games Belarus
European Indoor
Toruń, Poland – 60 m DQ
Championships
100
2021 38th (h) 11.47
2020 Summer m
Tokyo, Japan
Olympics 200
– DNC
m

Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Tsimanouskaya qualified to represent Belarus at the 2020 Summer Olympics, her first time,[5] in the 100 m
and 200 m events. On 30 July 2021 (postponed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), she finished
4th in the first round heat of the 100 m event with a time of 11.47.[6] Prior to the 200 m event, Belarus
Olympic Committee (NOC RB) officials withdrew her from the competition.[7][8][9] On 2 August, the Court
of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Tsimanouskaya's request to annul the decision of the NOC RB to stop
her from participating at the Tokyo Olympics, stating that she was unable to prove her case.[10][11] On 3
August, the CAS clarified that its judgement was based on the fact that Tsimanouskaya could not prove she
would still attempt to compete at Tokyo while she was in the process of seeking asylum in other countries.[12]

Repatriation incident and asylum

On 30 July 2021, Tsimanouskaya recorded an Instagram video criticising officials from the Belarus Olympic
Committee, saying that they had entered her in the 4 × 400 m relay race, a distance she had never contested,
without her consent, after other athletes missed doping tests and were not allowed to compete due to a lack of
tests, which she also blamed on the NOC RB.[13][14][15] On 1 August 2021, Belarusian media reported the
attempt to forcibly return Tsimanouskaya to Belarus.[16] Her grandmother warned her not to return while she
was being transported to the airport. Tsimanouskaya said her family feared that she might be taken to a
psychiatric facility if she returned to Belarus. She then decided not to return,[17] and she recorded another
video from the airport. The Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) called for journalists and members
of the Belarusian diaspora in Japan to meet Tsimanouskaya at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.[16] She drew the
attention of police officers at the airport terminal, who took her into protective custody at an airport hotel
overnight.[14] Tsimanouskaya said to journalists that she was afraid of returning to Belarus,[18] and she
intended to claim asylum in Austria,[19][20] where she often trains.[21]

As the news hit international media, several countries, including the Czech Republic and Poland, said that they
were ready to offer her a visa and protection.[19] On 2 August, she entered the Polish embassy in Tokyo and
was granted a humanitarian visa to the country, along with her husband, fellow sprinter Arseniy Zdanevich;
sources said she had begun the process of seeking asylum there and was no longer pursuing this in
Austria.[22][23] Zdanevich fled to Ukraine after he heard the news, saying that he didn't think twice about
leaving Belarus.[24] Her parents told her not to return to Belarus, while reports say that they and her
grandmother had been visited by police.[4] The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that they
were also safeguarding Tsimanouskaya and that the UNHCR was involved.[24] The Japanese government also
assured her safety.[14] On 3 August, she was granted a humanitarian visa in Japan, and Japanese foreign
minister Toshimitsu Motegi reported that she was in a "safe situation".[25]

Though most of western Europe had offered her protection by the end of the day, she reportedly chose to seek
asylum in Poland as the country had expressly offered her the opportunity to continue competing;[24] the IOC
made contact with officials from the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOI) on 3 August regarding
Tsimanouskaya resuming competition.[12] Though other Belarusian athletes have been critical of the nation's
leader Alexander Lukashenko directly, and some of them were banned and imprisoned for participating in
protests,[24] Zdanevich told media that the couple were just athletes and not interested in politics or the
opposition movement. However, following Tsimanouskaya's criticisms of the national coaches and describing
the attempt to forcefully repatriate her, many Belarusian government supporters sent her threatening messages;
the BSSF determined her life would be in danger if she returned to Belarus, and they reportedly sponsored a
plane ticket for her to fly to Warsaw, Poland.[14] On 4 August, Tsimanouskaya flew to Vienna's international
airport from Narita International Airport, and from there took a connecting flight to Poland. The Polish foreign
ministry said the travel plans were changed due to safety concerns after the diversion of Ryanair Flight 4978 in
May 2021. She was met at Warsaw Chopin Airport by Polish officials as well as Belarusian expatriates
carrying carnations, a symbol of resistance.[26]

The NOC RB is headed by Lukashenko's son, Viktor Lukashenko, with Alexander Lukashenko having
headed it until 2021 and continuing to exert influence. The IOC banned both men from attending the Tokyo
2020 Olympics following accusations of intimidation from athletes. The NOC RB, which withdrew
Tsimanouskaya from competition following the Instagram video, said on 1 August that it was concerned by
the athlete's "emotional and psychological state ... according to doctors".[14] Tsimanouskaya said she did not
see any doctors.[27] The state-owned Belarusian network Belarus-1 reported on 31 July that she was removed
from the team for being unsportsmanlike, saying that she was "lazy", "foul-bred", and "unpatriotic", and did
not deserve to represent Belarus; it also criticized the strictness of the IOC which prohibited the original relay
runners from competing.[28]

On 3 August, the IOC launched an investigation of the incident, demanding a report from the NOC RB to
explain why they attempted to repatriate Tsimanouskaya by the end of the day.[12] A disciplinary commission,
during which Tsimanouskaya is set to testify, is planned for 6 August 2021. On this day, as part of the
investigation, the IOC revoked the accreditation of two Belarusian delegates, head athletics coach Yuri
Moisevich and team official Artur Shimak, who were asked to leave the Olympic Village and complied. The
IOC added that they will have an opportunity "to be heard."[29] Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, and the
Japanese foreign ministry both gave statements on 6 August describing what happened to Tsimanouskaya as
"deplorable" and "unjust".[30]

Several fellow Belarusian athletes have spoken in support of Tsimanouskaya, while others have condemned
her. Some contacted by The Guardian declined to talk, also wanting to steer clear of politics.[4] Amnesty
International reported that athletes are more likely to be targets of the Lukashenko government due to his
personal interest in sports: athletes are favoured by the state, and so speaking out is considered more
treacherous from them.[31] On 4 August, Belarusian athletes Yana Maksimava and Andrei Krauchanka also
announced they would not return to the country but would seek refuge in Germany, where they train.[32]
Krauchanka has previously been detained in Belarus for taking part in protests.[33]

Following its granting of visas to Tsimanouskaya and her husband, Poland said that Belarus, which the
European Union (EU) has previously accused of state-sponsored facilitation of human trafficking and migrant
smuggling, started sending migrants it had flown in from the Middle East into Poland as a political weapon.
On 5 August, the EU summoned Belarusian officials to Brussels to explain, with the European Commission
warning Lukashenko to stop using migrants as tools.[34][35][36]

Personal bests
Outdoor

100 metres – 11.04 (+0.7 m/s, Minsk 2018)

200 metres – 22.78 (−1.2 m/s, Minsk 2019)

Indoor

60 metres – 7.21 (Mogilyov 2017)

200 metres – 23.62 (Mogilyov 2019)

Explanatory notes
a. Russian: Kristina Sergeyevna Timanovskaya (Кристина Сергеевна Тимановская,
pronounced [tɪmənˈofskəjə])

References
1. Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/biographies/athcode=30151
7) at World Athletics
 2. "Team results" (https://web.archive.org/web/20191014091239/https://storage.googleapis.com/s
ns-odf-prod/ATHXTEAM--------------FNL---------/C92A%20-%20Final%20-%20Team%20Match%
20-%20Medallists%20(Individual)%20(Fri,%2028%20Jun%202019%20-%2020:06).pdf) (PDF).
2019 European Games. Archived from the original (https://storage.googleapis.com/sns-odf-pro
d/ATHXTEAM--------------FNL---------/C92A%20-%20Final%20-%20Team%20Match%20-%20Me
dallists%20(Individual)%20(Fri,%2028%20Jun%202019%20-%2020:06).pdf) (PDF) on 14
October 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
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m/world/2021/aug/02/belarus-sprinter-faces-long-exile-in-poland-after-seeking-asylum). The
Guardian. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
4. Roth, Andrew (2 August 2021). "Belarus sprinter faces long exile in Poland after seeking
refuge" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/02/belarus-sprinter-faces-long-exile-in-p
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5. "Athletics TSIMANOUSKAYA Krystsina - Tokyo 2020 Olympics" (https://olympics.com/tokyo-20
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6. Athletics - Round 1 - Heat 6 Results (https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/result
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8. " "Они накосячили с девчонками" — белорусская легкоатлетка Тимановская заявила, что
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12. "IOC investigates allegations that Belarus tried to force sprinter home" (https://www.euronews.c
om/2021/08/03/ioc-investigates-allegations-that-belarus-tried-to-force-sprinter-home).
Euronews. 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
13. Tétrault-farber, Gabrielle (2 August 2021). "Belarusian sprinter refuses to leave Tokyo" (https://
www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/exclusive-olympics-belarusian-athlete-says-she-was-taken-air
port-go-home-after-2021-08-01/). Reuters. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
14. " 'We're just normal sports people': Belarusian sprinter arrives at Polish embassy in Tokyo as
husband enters Ukraine" (https://news.sky.com/story/belarusian-sprinter-arrives-at-polish-emba
ssy-in-tokyo-after-refusing-to-board-flight-home-12370591). Sky News. Retrieved 2 August
2021.
15. " "Чаму я даведваюся пра гэта ад левых людей?" Функцыянеры паставілі спартсменку,
якая бегае спрынт, на эстафету 4х400" (https://nashaniva.com/?c=ar&i=275920). Наша Ніва
(in Belarusian). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20210801122008/https://nashaniva.co
m/?c=ar&i=275920) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
16. "Фонд спортивной солидарности/BSSF" (https://t.me/zozhteam/694). Telegram. Archived (htt
ps://web.archive.org/web/20210801121914/https://t.me/zozhteam/694) from the original on 1
August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
17. "Belarusian sprinter decided to defect on way to airport on family fears about safety" (https://ww
w.reuters.com/world/europe/exclusive-belarusian-sprinter-decided-defect-way-airport-family-fe
ars-about-2021-08-05/). Reuters. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
18. " "Проста сказалі збіраць рэчы": Ціманоўская пра выгнанне з Алімпіяды ў Токіа" (https://eu
roradio.fm/prosta-skazali-zbirac-rechy-cimanouskaya-pra-vygnanne-z-alimpiyady-u-tokia).
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yady-u-tokia) from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
19. "Belarus Olympics: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya refusing to fly home" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/new
s/world-europe-58046183). BBC Sport. August 2021. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20
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August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
20. "Belarusian sprinter who criticised coaches refuses to be sent home" (https://www.theguardian.
com/sport/2021/aug/01/belarus-sprinter-krystsina-tsimanouskaya-criticised-coaches-says-she-
will-not-return-to-country). The Guardian. 1 August 2021. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/
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manouskaya-criticised-coaches-says-she-will-not-return-to-country) from the original on 1
August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
21. Lloyd Parry, Richard. "Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, the Belarus athlete in Olympics 'kidnap' row,
switches flight to Vienna" (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/belarus-athlete-in-olympics-kidnap
-row-switches-flight-to-vienna-gfn9rfgrk). ISSN 0140-0460 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0140-
0460). Retrieved 4 August 2021.
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27. Олехнович, Виталий (1 August 2021). "Бегунью Тимановскую тренеры отстранили от
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ps://people.onliner.by/2021/08/01/timanovskaya). Onliner (in Russian). Retrieved 2 August
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a-tsimanouskaya-ioc-says-two-belarus-coaches-have-been-removed-from-the-athletes-village-i
n-tokyo). Sky Sports. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
30. Belarus: IOC expels two coaches over Krystina Timanovskaya case (https://www.bbc.com/new
s/world-europe-58095558), BBC News, 6 August 2021
31. "Belarus: Once a showcase of the country's success, sport is now a battleground for reprisals"
(https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/08/belarus-once-a-showcase-of-the-countrys-su
ccess-sport-is-now-a-battleground-for-reprisals/). Amnesty International. Retrieved 2 August
2021.
32. "Belarusian sprinter arrives in Vienna after fleeing Olympic team officials" (https://www.itv.com/
news/2021-08-04/belarusian-olympic-sprinter-flies-to-vienna-amid-security-concerns). ITV
News. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
33. "Belarus sprinter leaves Tokyo on flight to Vienna after seeking refuge" (https://www.theguardia
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August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
34. "EU summons Belarus envoy in 'weaponising' migrants row" (https://euobserver.com/migration/
152607). EUobserver. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
35. "Poland says Belarus lets migrants cross border in 'hybrid war' with EU" (https://www.reuters.co
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5/). Reuters. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
36. "Belarus 'weaponising' illegal migration, Lithuania says" (https://www.ft.com/content/0ad28032-
6102-41a0-ad8d-b80460e52867). Financial Times. Retrieved 6 August 2021.

Further reading
"The Guardian view on Belarus: an Olympic athlete joins the exodus" (https://www.theguardian.
com/commentisfree/2021/aug/02/the-guardian-view-on-belarus-an-olympic-athlete-joins-the-ex
odus). The Guardian. London. 2 August 2021.
"Opinion: An Olympian reminds us: In Belarus, honesty can be a crime" (https://www.washingto
npost.com/opinions/2021/08/02/krystsina-tsimanouskaya-olympics-belarus-dictatorship/). The
Washington Post. 2 August 2021.
"The Times view on the fugitive athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya: Olympic Trial" (https://www.t
hetimes.co.uk/article/the-times-view-on-the-fugitive-athlete-krystsina-tsimanouskaya-olympic-tri
al-dvvnj0t00). The Times. London. 3 August 2021.

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