It was discovered that a Belarusian track and field athlete who participated in the Tokyo Olympics wanted to asylum to a third country at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, and related organizations are proceeding with confirmation by listening to him.

In an interview with NHK, the player said, "I was about to be deported because of criticism of the administration over writing on SNS."

According to people familiar with the matter, it is Christina Chimanouskaya (24), a Belarus national team for athletics, who wants to go into exile in a third country.



Chimanouskaya told police officers at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on the night of the 1st, "I don't want to go back to my own country," and told him that he wanted to go into exile in another country in Europe.



At the police box in the airport, the person in charge of the related organization listens to the person himself and confirms the details.



In the former Soviet Union of Belarus, crackdowns on those who are critical of the Lukashenko administration are increasing, and groups supporting asylum are also in contact with the players themselves.



Chimanouskaya told NHK that he was instructed to participate in an event that was not originally planned on behalf of other players, and when he wrote his dissatisfaction on SNS, he was about to be deported as "criticism of the administration". "And so on.

Chimanous Kaya "I'm asking for help"

On July 30th, Chimanouskaya told his Instagram, "I didn't even ask the head coaches to know my condition in advance or if they were ready to run 400 meters. I think the standing people need to pay homage to us as athletes and sometimes listen to our opinions, "he wrote, complaining that he was unilaterally instructed to participate in an unplanned event. I was doing it.



In addition, Chimanouskaya sent a video message on the 1st, saying, "I am asking for help from the International Olympic Committee. I am under pressure and trying to take me out of the country without consent. International Olympics I want the Committee to be involved in this. "



On the other hand, Belarus's state-run news agency did not mention that Chimanouskaya wanted to asylum, saying, "As a result of the doctor's judgment about the player's emotional and psychological state, he was canceled." I'm telling you.

Belarusian regime

Belarus became independent 30 years ago in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union.



Currently, President Lukashenko, who leads the country, has been president for 27 years since 1994.



President Lukashenko consolidates the main posts of the government and parliament with people close to himself, strengthens control over the media, and thoroughly suppresses anti-government groups. Has been criticized as "the last dictator in Europe".



In the presidential election held in August last year, after Lukashenko's sixth election was confirmed, citizens accused the election of fraud and launched a large-scale protest and clashed with security forces. As a result, there were casualties.



Amid growing criticism from the international community against President Lukashenko, in May the administration forced an international passenger plane passing through Belarus' territory to land and detained anti-government journalists. The United States and the EU-European Union are increasing pressure by imposing new sanctions on the aides of President Lukashenko.



President Lukashenko, on the other hand, has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is behind him, to gain support, and has maintained a bullish stance against criticism from the West.