Poland granted asylum to second Belarusian athlete threatened by Lukashenko regime

A second Belarusian athlete, a runner who was excluded from the Belarusian Olympic team for criticizing the Belarusian authorities, obtained a humanitarian visa and asylum in Poland, a Polish lawmaker reported on Sunday.

Belarusian skirmish rider Olga Safronova, who was prevented from traveling to Tokyo Olympics This summer, she intends to train and compete with the Polish national riding team, the opposition lawmaker said. Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska.

Safronova’s troubles began when she criticized the authoritarian regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko while in Poland, when one of his horses was reported lame and unfit to compete. The comments led to Safronova’s withdrawal from the Belarusian squad for Tokyo. and was called enemy of the nation, explained Kluzik-Rostkowska a The Associated Press.

Safronova decided to seek asylum in Poland with her husband and in mid-August, they received a humanitarian visa from the Polish consulate in Lviv, Ukraine, where they picked them up, according to Kluzik-Rostkowska.

Veterinarians in Poland did not detect any problems with the horse. His other two horses were also transferred to Poland.

Last month, the Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya has found asylum in Poland in an attempt to avoid sanctions in her country after criticizing officials of his delegation to the Tokyo Olympics, where he was barred from participating.

After this episode, the regime prevented the athletes from leaving the country, as confirmed by the Tsimanouskaya and Andrei Kravchenko, another athlete who recently went into exile in Germany with his wife and son.

The Belarusian regime fears a mass exile Belarusian athletes, who won seven medals at the Games (1 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze).

Belarusian justice last week He sentenced kickboxing world champion Alexei Kudin to 2.5 years in prison for allegedly beating several police officers during a protest.

Many Belarusian athletes have since last year denounced the violent crackdown on demonstrations by the security forces, which in many cases has cost them serious reprimands and even death. administrative arrest, such as basketball player Yelena Levchenko.

The situation of Belarusian athletes made headlines in Tokyo when the Belarusian Olympic delegation attempted to forcibly repatriate Tsimanouskaya, defended by the International Olympic Committee.

(With information from AP and EFE)

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