The IOC, due to the scandal around Timanovskaya, deprived of accreditation of two members of the Belarusian delegation at the Olympic Games in Tokyo

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revoked the accreditation of two coaches of the Belarusian national team at the Tokyo Olympics in connection with the scandal surrounding the athlete from Belarus Kristina Timanovskaya.

Coaches Artur Shumak and Yuri Moisevich were denied accreditation. They are at the request of the IOC already left Olympic Village. This measure, the committee said, was taken “in the interests of the well-being of athletes from Belarus, who are still in Tokyo, and as a temporary measure.”

On Thursday, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told reporters that disciplinary measures could be taken against the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus in connection with the scandal around Timanovskaya. According to him, the Committee “reacted quickly” to the situation and now conducts talks with Belarusian and other athletes, transfers Interfax.

Kristina Timanovskaya found herself in the center of the scandal after she criticized Belarusian sports officials on the social network, who announced her to participate in the relay race 4 x 400 meters – not her core discipline – without asking or even notifying the athlete. After that, the NOC of Belarus removed her from the competition and decided to take her home, referring to the “emotional and psychological state” of the runner. Later Timanovskaya said that the Belarusian authorities were trying to take her out of Tokyo against her will, and asked the IOC for help.

Representatives of the Belarusian delegation brought the athlete to the Tokyo airport to take her to Belarus, but there she turned to the Japanese police for protection. The athlete spent Monday night at a Tokyo airport hotel under the protection of the Japanese police.

On August 4, with the assistance of the IOC and the Polish Embassy in Japan, Timanovskaya flew over Belarus to Austria, and from there to Poland, which granted her a humanitarian visa. The athlete failed to participate in the 200-meter race, in which she was originally supposed to compete.

IN interview BBC Timanovskaya said her refusal to return home was not politically motivated. “I love my country and have not betrayed it,” she said. The athlete wonders how, because of the post on Instagram, albeit with criticism of officials, a political scandal could erupt.

“I did not take part in any protests, I never spoke about politics, and even here this situation did not concern politics. This situation concerned only the mistake of our leadership, which they made here at the Olympics. Therefore, I did not think that this situation could lead to a political scandal, ”added Kristina Timanovskaya.