Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya has left Japan on a Vienna-bound plane after she refused to fly home earlier this week.
The 24-year-old, who had sought refuge at the Polish embassy in Tokyo, had been expected to take a flight direct to Warsaw but switched at the last minute, an airport official told reporters.
Tsimanouskaya was in the care of Poland’s diplomatic services, Polish deputy foreign minister Marcin Przydacz said. “As we have indicated many times, for safety reasons we do not provide details of the flight route.”
Tsimanouskaya said in an interview with the Associated Press that officials from her team had “made it clear” she would face punishment if she returned home to an autocratic government that has relentlessly stifled any criticism.
Her refusal to leave for Belarus on Sunday, after she said she was taken by her team to the airport against her wishes, caused high drama at the Games. She sought protection at the Polish embassy on Monday. Poland has offered her a humanitarian visa.
Masked and wearing blue jeans, a blue blouse and sunglasses, Tsimanouskaya arrived in a police-escorted van at Narita airport east of the Japanese capital. She did not speak to several dozen waiting reporters, disappearing into an elevator to a VIP area, escorted by several officials rolling her suitcases.
