Belarusian sprinter cleared to race for Poland

Tsimanouskaya’s profile on the website of World Athletics, track and field’s governing body, was updated Monday with a note that she became eligible to compete for Poland the day before.

FILE PHOTO: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, the Belarusian sprinter whose team tried to force her out of the Tokyo Olympics, has been declared eligible to represent Poland ahead of the upcoming world championships.

Tsimanouskaya’s profile on the website of World Athletics, track and field’s governing body, was updated Monday with a note that she became eligible to compete for Poland the day before.

World Athletics generally requires athletes who want to switch allegiance to sit out a three-year waiting period. The rules say that period can be waived in “exceptional” circumstances. World Athletics says it doesn’t comment on how individual cases are decided.

The world championships start in Budapest, Hungary, on Aug. 19, and Tsimanouskaya wrote on Instagram she believes she has a “large chance” of being selected.

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya (LEFT) in the Women’s 200 metres heats during day four of 17th IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019. | Photo Credit: Michael Steele

It was not clear Monday if Tsimanouskaya would be on Poland’s team to compete at the championships and, if so, in which events. The Polish track and field federation did not immediately respond to a request for comment on her status. Qualification can depend on national federations, athletes’ times and the world rankings.

Tsimanouskaya has lived in Poland since the attempt to remove her from the Olympics in Japan in 2021. Her case drew attention to a crackdown on dissent in Belarus under President Alexander Lukashenko.

Coaches tried to send Tsimanouskaya home from Tokyo after she had criticized them for attempting to enter her for the 4x400-meter relay even though she had never run in the event before.

She was barred from running her preferred race, the 200, and said Belarusian officials tried to make her board a flight before Japanese police at the airport intervened to help her. Tsimanouskaya said she feared reprisals if she returned to Belarus and had been warned by her grandmother to stay away.

Two Belarusian coaches were stripped of their Olympic credentials over the incident, removing them from the Tokyo Games. One of them is facing charges from the Athletics Integrity Unit.

Belarus and Russia have both been barred from sending teams to the world championships under measures taken by World Athletics following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.