Two years after Olympic defection, Belarusian sprinter cleared to race for Poland

FILE PHOTO: Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who left the Olympic Games in Tokyo and seeks asylum in Poland, attends a news conference in Warsaw, Poland August 5, 2021. Maciek Jazwiecki/Agencja Gazeta via REUTERS/File Photo

GENEVA (Reuters) - Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, the Belarusian sprinter who defected at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, has been cleared by World Athletics to compete for Poland after it waived the normal three-year waiting period for nationality changes.

Tsimanouskaya refused to board a flight back home from Tokyo when she was removed from the Olympics against her will after publicly complaining about national team coaches' decision to enter her in the 4x400 metres relay, which was not her customary distance.