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Timanovskaya wants to continue sports career, but concerned with safety now — interview

On August 1, the National Olympic Committee of Belarus announced that the national Olympic team’s trainers’ headquarters decided to send Kristina Timanovskaya home over her emotional and psychological state

MOSCOW, August 3. /TASS/. Belarusian athlete Kristina Timanovskaya hopes to continue her sports career, but currently her personal safety is her utmost priority, she said in an interview for Associated Press.

"I would very much like to continue my sports career, because I am only 24 years old and I had plans for at least two more Olympic Games. But currently, I am only concerned with my safety," she said, according to AP.

The athlete admitted she is unsure what she will do next.

"Currently, I would only like to arrive in Europe successfully, to meet with the people who helped me, and to decide what to do next," Timanovskaya noted.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz disclosed Monday that Timanovskaya was granted a Polish humanitarian visa. The Belarusian athlete is expected to depart for Warsaw from Tokyo on August 4.

On August 1, the National Olympic Committee of Belarus announced that the national Olympic team’s trainers’ headquarters decided to send Timanovskaya home over her emotional and psychological state. Initially, Timanovskaya was supposed to compete in 100 and 200 meter competitions. However, two Belarusian female runners were removed from 400 meter competition due to lack of doping tests; the trainers’ headquarters decided to put Timanovskaya on the race instead. The athlete criticized this decision in the social media.

The Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation announced that Timanovskaya is being forcefully taken from Tokyo over her criticism of the trainers’ headquarters. In her interview for Euroradio, the athlete stated that she intends to ask for shelter in Europe. She also asked the International Olympic committee to intervene and help her. According to the athlete, she was subjected to pressure and is being taken from Japan without her consent. The National Olympic Committee of Belarus is following the situation around Timanovskaya and is cooperating with the International Olympic Committee and the Olympics Organizational Committee.

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