Olympic athlete issues public appeal after being ‘ordered to leave Tokyo’

An Olympic athlete from Belarus has said she was ordered to return home after publicly criticising her coaches on social media.

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya said she was taken to the airport before she was able to compete in the 200 metres on Monday and 4x400 metres relay on Thursday.

She had been able to compete in the first round of the 100m but did not qualify for the next race.

The Reuters news agency reported that she had refused to board a plane home and had sought help from Japanese police at Tokyo’s Haneda airport.