The essential illegitimacy of Mr Lukashenko’s regime was exposed in the aftermath of the stolen elections of 2020. Ms Tsimanouskaya had publicly criticised the Belarus team’s coaches for failing to conduct the necessary doping tests ahead of the women’s 4x400m race. Ms Tsimanouskaya is under police protection in Tokyo. The 24-year-old Ms Tsimanouskaya, who on Monday received a humanitarian visa from Poland, will clearly be a sporting loss for her country. She will also become part of an era-defining exodus from Mr Lukashenko’s Belarus that makes it hard to be optimistic about the future.

Source: The Guardian August 02, 2021 17:54 UTC