NAPLES, ITALY - JULY 11: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya of Belarus reacts during Women's 200 m Final during day four of the 2019 Summer Universiade on July 11, 2019 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Ivan Romano/Getty Images)
Last week, a Belarusian sprinter in the Tokyo Games, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, was granted a humanitarian visa by Poland after refusing to return to Belarus. Now, she says she will auction off her 2019 European Games medal to help other Belarusian athletes caught up in the country’s crackdown against political opposition.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz wrote that Tsimanouskaya had “received a humanitarian visa” and that Poland would support the Olympic athlete as best they can.
Tsimanouskaya was set to compete in the 200-meter sprint last Monday. She was removed from the event after publicly criticizing her coaches.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!
A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.
The Chairman of the Belarus Olympic Committee is the son of the current President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Belarus’s opposition leader, Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya, said she was “grateful” for the actions taken to protect Tsimanouskaya.
On March 5, tennis legend Fred Stolle died from cancer at 86 years old. Stolle…
On January 16, legendary sports broadcaster Bob Uecker passed away from lung cancer. Before his…
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson left the Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots…
On March 12, former NBA player Oliver Miller passed away from cancer. Miller played college…
In June 1996, former NFL star Deion Sanders was fishing on the property of the…
Rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant is still recovering after being carted off the field following…