Japan: Police say they "work" on safety of Belarusian sprinter Timanovskaya - politician Ishikawa

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Safety is being provided to Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya, who released a video in Tokyo on Sunday appealing to the IOC for political asylum, according to Japanese politician Taiga Ishikawa, who cited the words of the police chief to whom he spoke at Tokyo airport.

“As for whether she is in a safe place now, he told me something like “we are working to make sure she is safe”. I am very worried about that because I don’t know if safety is the same one as what we think it is,” he voiced his concerns.

Timanovskaya released a video on Sunday in Tokyo appealing to the IOC for political asylum as Minsk had decided to take her out of the Olympics and bring her back home after she publicly criticised her coaches.

Representatives of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Belarus (NOC) claimed that Timanovskaya was going to leave the Olympics because of her “emotional and psychological state.”

The IOC stated its intention to look into the situation and asked the Belarus Olympic Committee to clarify the issue. Later the IOC tweeted that they are negotiating with Timanovskaya and the authorities to determine further actions. On Sunday Timanovskaya refused to board a flight back to Minsk after being taken to the airport by Belarusian team managers against her will.

Timanovskaya said she was forced to fly home after taking to social media to complain that her coaches picked her to take part in a 400m relay event at short notice - a discipline she’s has not prepared to compete in. The 24-year-old Belarusian sprinter was then removed from running the women’s 200-meter race on Monday by the Belarusian team.

SOT, Taiga Ishikawa​, Politician, Member of House of Councillors of Japan (Japanese): “I spoke with Deputy Chief Miura of the Koto Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department, and he told me that she is not among them now.”

SOT, Taiga Ishikawa​, Politician, Member of House of Councillors of Japan (Japanese) : “As for whether she is in a safe place now, he told me something like “we are working to make sure she is safe.” I am very worried about that, because I don’t know if safety is the same as what we think it is…”

#Belarus #Timanovskaya #Japan #TokyoOlympics

Video ID: 20210802-004

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