Two coaches removed from Tokyo Olympics in Belarus sprinter case

Coaches stripped of accreditations over alleged attempt to force sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya to fly home

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya at a press conference in Warsaw. Tsimanouskaya and her husband, currently in Ukraine, have been granted Polish humanitarian visas. EPA

Two Belarus team coaches have been removed from the Olympics, four days after they were allegedly involved in trying to send sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya back to their country.

The International Olympic Committee said on Friday it has canceled and removed the credentials of Artur Shimak and Yury Maisevich.

“The two coaches were requested to leave the Olympic Village immediately and have done so,” the IOC said.

It was done as an interim measure during a formal investigation “in the interest of the wellbeing of the athletes,” the Olympic body said.

Shimak and Maisevich continued to have contact with Belarusian athletes after the IOC linked them to taking Tsimanouskaya in a car to the airport to put her on a plane to Belarus.

Tsimanouskaya had criticised team coaches on social media and is now in Poland on a humanitarian visa.

The IOC said Shimak and Maisevich “will be offered an opportunity to be heard” by its disciplinary commission investigating the case.

The row blew up after Tsimanouskaya, who was entered in the 100 and 200 metres, complained about being entered into the 4x400m relay without being consulted.

She said she was "surprised that the situation became such a political scandal because it started out as a sporting issue", adding that "she was "not thinking about political asylum" in EU member Poland.

"I just want to pursue my sporting career," Tsimanouskaya said.

She said she feared for her life if forced back to Belarus, which has witnessed political upheaval after Alexander Lukashenko returned to power last year.