Belarusian Sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya 'Feeling Safe and Secure', Says IOC Spokesman Mark Adams

Tokyo, Aug 2: International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said on Monday that Belarus track sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was feeling 'safe and secure' and that the IOC would 'support her'.

Belarus track sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said her Olympic team officials tried to remove her from Japan in a dispute that led to a standoff Sunday evening at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Tokyo Olympics 2021: Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Sanjeev Rajput Fail to Qualify for Medal Event in 50m Rifle 3 Positions.

Tsimanouskaya criticized Belarus team officials on her Instagram account, saying she had been put in the 4x400 relay despite never racing the event.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Adams said that the IOC would support Tsimanouskaya after she spent the night in a hotel at Tokyo Haneda airport.

An activist group supporting her said she believed her life was in danger in Belarus. It said she would seek asylum with the Austrian embassy in Tokyo.

Previously the IOC had banned Belarussian president Lukashenko from attending the Tokyo Olympics in addition to not recognizing the election of the president of Belarusian National Olympic Committee.

The Belarus National Olympic Committee has been led for more than 25 years by authoritarian state president Alexander Lukashenko and his son, Viktor.

Both Lukashenkos are banned from the Tokyo Olympics by the IOC which investigated complaints from athletes that they faced reprisals and intimidation in fallout from protests since last August after the country's disputed presidential election.

A spokeswoman for the Belarus Olympic team did not respond to a request for comment.

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