Krystina Tsimanouskaja was told to pack her things and was then driven to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

On social media, she writes that she was "kidnapped" by her own leaders to be brought back to Belarus.

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Olympic runner: The coaches kidnapped me

Instead of voluntarily boarding the plane that would take her home, the 200-meter runner sought refuge with Japanese police at the airport.

"I will not return to Belarus," the 24-year-old wrote to Reuters, whose envoy saw her at Haneda airport.

At a press conference on Monday morning, local time, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic organizer say that Tsimanouskaja is in safety with the Japanese authorities, without going into details.

- What I can say is that she sought help for protection.

And we managed to draw the airport's attention to it, says Masa Takaya, spokesperson for Tokyo 2020.

Spent the night in hotel

She is said to have spent the night at an airport hotel.

- We can say that she is safe, but we can not go into more details than that.

There is a lot of ambiguity that we have to sort out, what has happened and what happens next, says IOC spokesman Mark Adams.

But we have talked to her and she has said that she is well and safe.

The IOC also states that staff from the Japanese Olympic organizer were present when Tsimanouskaja's entourage arrived at the airport.

Tsimanouskaya managed to qualify in the 100 meters on Friday before she was taken to the airport two days later.

She would also have run 200 meters on Monday and was registered for the 4x400 meter relay team later this week.

It is precisely the relay that is behind the events, according to Tsimanouskaya.

To Reuters, she said, from Haneda:

- Some of our girls did not go here for the relay because they had not been doped tested enough times.

And the coach put me on the team without my knowledge.

That's what I was talking about, and then the coach came to me and said that there had been orders from above to remove me.

Information: Must apply for asylum

According to a source within the Belarusian foundation Sport Solidarity Foundation, which supports imprisoned athletes and people who have been violated because of their political views, Tsimanouskaja will apply for asylum in Germany or Austria on Monday.

Poland must also be prepared to help her.

The IOC also confirms that the UN refugee agency UNHCR was involved in the case and that much is already being done to address the Belarusian Olympic Committee's trampling.