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Tokyo Olympics: IOC to investigate Belarus officials over athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya’s forced flight claim
- The runner says Belarus attempted to forcibly repatriate her after she criticised her nation’s sports officials
- She was granted a humanitarian visa by Poland’s embassy in Tokyo on Monday
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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched a formal investigation into the case of Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Timanovskaya, with a number of sports bodies calling on Belarus to be severely sanctioned.
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The organisation must establish all the facts and hear all those involved before taking further action, IOC spokesman Mark Adams said as he announced the move on Tuesday.
On Monday, the runner was granted a humanitarian visa by Poland’s embassy in Tokyo, following what she described as an attempted kidnapping to forcibly repatriate her after she criticised Belarusian sports officials.
The 24-year-old is due to travel to Warsaw, with media reports saying she could fly on Wednesday having stayed at the embassy on Tuesday.
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Belarusian athlete to leave Tokyo for Poland with humanitarian visa after ‘forced flight’ claim
Belarusian athlete to leave Tokyo for Poland with humanitarian visa after ‘forced flight’ claim
The IOC has asked for written clarification from the Belarusian Olympic Committee on what happened, Adams said.
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