The situation of the Belarusian athlete who requested asylum 3:08
(CNN) -
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Monday that Olympic sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya had been "manipulated" into defecting during the Tokyo Olympics.
"[Timanovskaya] would not have done it alone if she had not been manipulated," the Belarusian president told a press conference lasting several hours.
Lukashenko: Ryanair plane diversion is legal 4:04
Sprinter Timanovskaya was scheduled to compete in the women's 200 meters at the Tokyo Olympics on Monday.
However, she said that representatives of the Belarusian national team tried to send her home by force.
As she explained, this happened after she criticized the national sports authorities for taking her into the 4x400 meter relay without her consent.
Belarus, the sprinter who defected and the situation in the country
Timanovskaya is currently in Poland with her husband.
There he received a humanitarian visa from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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During the press conference, Lukashenko also denied Timanovskaya's claim that she was escorted to the Tokyo airport by agents of the Belarusian security service on Monday last week.
Detained Belarusian dissident featured in new video 2:48
Sunday marked a year since the disputed elections in Belarus.
In those elections, Lukashenko stayed in office for the sixth consecutive term.
Activist cuts throat in Belarusian court 0:55
Belarus
