Belarus
Olympic Sprinter Granted Asylum
Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was granted a humanitarian visa in Poland Monday after refusing orders from Belarusian sports authorities to return home from the Tokyo Olympics. The Olympic sprinter was told that she had to go back to Belarus after criticizing her coaches. Tsimanouskaya sought refuge in the Polish embassy in Tokyo, where she was granted a humanitarian visa. She is due to arrive in Poland on Wednesday. Meanwhile, her husband, Arseni Zhdanevich, fled Belarus for Ukraine, deciding to leave after his wife was ordered to return home. Tsimanouskaya’s refusal to return to Belarus comes at a time when Belarusian leader, Alexander Lukashenka, has been cracking down on opposition, most notably when a plane was diverted earlier this year to Belarus to detain a journalist.

This map depicts where the Belarusian sprinter and her husband have sought refuge since her refusal to return to Belarus. Click on the map to learn more.