Posted on social media criticizing ‘instructions to participate in the 400m relay’
One day before the 200m race, ‘Exit/return to the Athletes’ Village’ instruction
IOC “Investigation of the situation… requesting clarification from Belarus”
[앵커]
A Belarusian athlete who was participating in the Tokyo Olympics last night asked the International Olympic Committee for help to prevent the forced repatriation.
He was ordered to return home during the game for accusing the government of his country, but it is said that he will apply for asylum because he feels that his life is threatened.
This is a report by Lee Dong-heon, a reporter.
[기자]
Last night at Haneda Airport in Japan, Belarusian sprinter Kristina Chimanouskaya called for help from Japanese police.
The Belarusian government is trying to repatriate itself.
[크리스치나 치마노우스카야 / 벨라루스 선수 : IOC에 도움을 요청합니다. 나를 압박해 강제로 이 나라에서 빼내 가려 합니다. 이 문제에 개입할 것을 IOC에 요청합니다.]
At the Tokyo Olympics, 24-year-old Chimanouskaya competed in the women’s 100m and 200m in track and field.
However, when the coach suddenly instructed him to participate in the 400m relay, he posted a post on social media criticizing the fist-fighting administration.
Then, the Belarusian government ordered him to leave the athletes’ village yesterday, one day before the 200m race, and return to his home country.
[알렉산더 오페이킨 / 반정부 스포츠단체 관계자 : 당장 도쿄를 떠나 벨라루스로 돌아오라는 말에 걱정하기 시작했습니다. 생명이 위험하다고 생각하고 있습니다.]
Belarus, where President Lukashenko has been in power for a long time, has been exerting pressure on athletes showing anti-government tendencies, such as dropping out of the national team or detaining them, after large-scale protests against election fraud last year.
The IOC said it is investigating the situation and has requested an explanation from the Belarusian Olympic Committee.
After spending a night at the airport police station, Chimanouskaya is said to be seeking asylum at the Austrian embassy in Tokyo.
This is YTN Lee Dong-heon.
YTN Lee Dong-heon (dhlee@ytn.co.kr)
[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]
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