STA, 2 August 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has indicated Slovenia would be willing to offer refuge to Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya amid reports that she is planning to seek asylum after the Belarusian Olympic Committee removed her from the national team for publicly criticising the coaches.
The 24-year-old Belarusian athlete got into trouble on Sunday after she publicly criticised the coaching staff of her national team. The Belarusian media condemned her move, saying she had no team spirit, and she was expelled from the national team.
Tsimanouskaya was then brought to the airport to leave Tokyo on Sunday, but she decided to stay and ask for help from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Several countries and politicians have already offered protection or asylum to Tsimanouskaya, including Janša, who posted a tweet on Sunday evening saying: "Krystsina is welcome in Slovenia," in reply to a post by Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
STA, 2 August 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has indicated Slovenia would be willing to offer refuge to Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya amid reports that she is planning to seek asylum after the Belarusian Olympic Committee removed her from the national team for publicly criticising the coaches. The 24-year-old Belarusian athlete got into trouble on Sunday after she publicly criticised the coaching staff of her national team. The Belarusian media condemned her move, saying she had no team spirit, and she was expelled from the national team. Tsimanouskaya was then brought to the airport to leave Tokyo on Sunday, but she decided to stay and ask for help from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Several countries and politicians have already offered protection or asylum to Tsimanouskaya, including Janša, who posted a tweet on Sunday evening saying: "Krystsina is welcome in Slovenia," in reply to a post by Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In her post, Tsikhanouskaya criticised the attempted forced return of the athlete to Belarus, pointing out that the case was reminiscent of the hijacking of a Ryanair plane at the end of May. At the time, the Belarusian authorities arrested opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner, who were on a plane that was forced to land in Minsk. In another post, also retweeted by Janša, Tsikhanouskaya called on the IOC to launch an investigation against the Belarusian Olympic Committee and to ensure the safety of all Belarusian athletes.In her post, Tsikhanouskaya criticised the attempted forced return of the athlete to Belarus, pointing out that the case was reminiscent of the hijacking of a Ryanair plane at the end of May.
At the time, the Belarusian authorities arrested opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his partner, who were on a plane that was forced to land in Minsk.
In another post, also retweeted by Janša, Tsikhanouskaya called on the IOC to launch an investigation against the Belarusian Olympic Committee and to ensure the safety of all Belarusian athletes.
