Coach Who Tried To Force Belarus Sprinter Home From Tokyo Olympics Is Banned For 5 Years – News18

MONACO: An Olympic observe coach who tried to drive Krystsina Tsimanouskaya dwelling from the Tokyo Games to Belarus the place she feared for her security was banned from the game for 5 years on Tuesday.

Yury Maisevich’s actions in Tokyo had been adjudged to be “a clear affront to the athlete’s dignity and an abuse of … power,” observe and discipline’s Athletics Integrity Unit mentioned.

He additionally was discovered responsible of “providing false or inaccurate information in the course of events leading up to the athlete’s departure from the Olympic Village” in August 2021.

The 63-yr-previous official is banned from working in observe and discipline till February 2029.

Tsimanouskaya’s ordeal in Tokyo turned a diplomatic incident through the second half of the Summer Games.

She went on social media through the video games to query why she had been entered within the 4×400 relay with out her information and regardless of by no means racing the occasion. The Belarus observe staff had misplaced some athletes due to doping points.

Coaches determined to ship her dwelling and she or he was escorted by staff officers to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

At the airport, Tsimanouskaya spoke on the telephone to her grandmother, who advised her of a backlash in opposition to her from state-run media at dwelling. President Alexander Lukashenko’s authorities had cracked down on dissent since his disputed re-election one yr earlier.

Lukashenko was the longtime head of the Belarus Olympic Committee, although he had been suspended by the IOC from coming to Tokyo within the fallout from widespread professional-democracy protests. Athletes in Belarus mentioned that they had confronted reprisals and intimidation.

Belarusian athletes in Tokyo had been nonetheless underneath the management of state-backed officers who tried to get Tsimanouskaya again to Minsk.

Tsimanouskaya sought assist on the airport from police who took her away from Belarusian officers. She took refuge in Poland’s embassy in Tokyo and was given a humanitarian visa to journey there days later.

Four days after the episode on the airport, the IOC revoked Olympic credentials for Maisevich who led a staff of 31 athletes, the AIU mentioned.

Tsimanouskaya was cleared final yr to run for Poland on the world championships. She was eradicated within the heats of the 100 meters, reached the semifinals within the 200 and was within the 4×100 relay staff that positioned fifth.

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More AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)