Belarus

Belarus hockey official banned 5 years for political abuse

By Graham Dunbar Sep. 08, 2021 09:02 AM EDT

Poland gives humanitarian visa to 2nd Belarus athlete

Sep. 05, 2021 11:40 AM EDT
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — A lawmaker in Poland says a second Belarussian athlete, an equestrian who was excluded from the country's Olympic team after criticizing...

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, left, and her husband Arseni Zdanevich speak to The Associated Press in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday Aug. 11, 2021. The runner, who has found refuge to rebuild her life in Poland, described the feeling of safety when police took her away from her national team officials. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Belarus sprinter feels safe, looks to future in Poland

By Vanessa Gera Aug. 11, 2021 04:04 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 6, 2021, file photo, Paul Chelimo, of United States, lies on the track after the final of the men's 5,000-meters at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

The Perseverance Games: Surreal Olympics approach their end

By Jenna Fryer Aug. 07, 2021 09:13 AM EDT

France's Nikola Karabatic makes a shot during the men's gold medal handball match between France and Denmark at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 7, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Olympic Latest: France earns gold for 1st volleyball medal

Aug. 06, 2021 07:41 PM EDT

United State's Gable Dan Steveson celebrates after defeating Georgia's Gennadij Cudinovic during their men's freestyle 125kg wrestling final match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

USA's Steveson scores late to win wrestling gold

By Cliff Brunt Aug. 06, 2021 10:33 AM EDT

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who arrived in Poland on Wednesday fearing reprisals at home after criticizing her coaches at the Tokyo Games, holds up an Olympic-related T-shirt with the slogan "I Just Want to Run" after her news conference in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. Tsimanouskaya reached Poland by plane from Tokyo through Vienna, a circuitous route due to security concerns, days after she accused team officials of trying to force her to fly back to Belarus, where an authoritarian government has relentlessly pursued its critics. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

2 coaches removed from Tokyo Olympics in Belarus case

By Graham Dunbar Aug. 05, 2021 10:17 PM EDT

Olympic Latest: Canada wins 1st gold in women's soccer

Aug. 05, 2021 08:36 PM EDT

Bronze medalist United States' Helen Louise Maroulis celebrates on the podium for the women's women's 57kg Freestyle wrestling event,at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

American Taylor beats Iran's Yazdani for wrestling gold

By Cliff Brunt Aug. 05, 2021 10:40 AM EDT

Belarus Olympic sprinter: Grandmother advised her not to return home because of negative reports about her on TV

Aug. 05, 2021 08:11 AM EDT
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Belarus Olympic sprinter: Grandmother advised her not to return home because of negative reports about her on TV. ...

Belarusian dissident in Poland, Pavel Latushka, left, and Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, right, who came to Poland fearing reprisals at home after criticizing her coaches at the Tokyo Games, talk to journalists in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Belarus runner used quick thinking to avoid being sent home

By Monika Scislowska And Daria Litvinova Aug. 05, 2021 06:35 AM EDT

United States' Eddy Alvarez, front, and Nick Allen embrace after a semi-final baseball game against South Korea at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Yokohama, Japan. The United States won 7-2. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Olympics Latest: China women win table tennis again

Aug. 04, 2021 08:33 PM EDT

United States' David Morris Taylor III, right, celebrates defeating India's Deepak Punia compete in the men's 86kg Freestyle semifinal wrestling match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Chiba, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Helen Maroulis loses to Risako Kawai in 57kg semifinals

By Cliff Brunt Aug. 04, 2021 10:20 AM EDT

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, center, prepares to leave Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. Tsimanouskaya, who plans to seek refuge in Europe, boarded a plane that left the gate for Vienna on Wednesday morning, though it was not immediately clear if that would be her final destination. (Kyodo News via AP)

Belarus Olympic runner who feared going home lands in Poland

By Vladimir Isachenkov And David Keyton Aug. 04, 2021 04:54 AM EDT

FILE In this file photo taken from video, Belarus Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya speaks during a zoom interview with the Associated Press in Japan, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021. A feud between Tsimanouskaya and team officials that prompted her to seek refuge in Poland has again cast a spotlight on the repressive environment in the ex-Soviet nation, where authorities have unleashed a relentless crackdown on dissent. (AP Photo/Daniel Kozin, File)

EXPLAINER: What happens when Olympics and politics collide?

By Graham Dunbar Aug. 04, 2021 04:11 AM EDT

FILE In this file pool photo taken on Saturday, April 4, 2020, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko takes part in a hockey match during Republican amateur competitions in Minsk, Belarus. A feud between Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya and team officials that prompted her to seek refuge in Poland has again cast a spotlight on the repressive environment in the ex-Soviet nation, where authorities have unleashed a relentless crackdown on dissent. (Andrei Pokumeiko/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)

EXPLAINER: What is behind Belarus athlete's Olympics crisis?

By Yuras Karmanau And Vladimir Isachenkov Aug. 04, 2021 03:47 AM EDT

Katarina Johnson-Thompson, of Britain, reacts after falling during a heat in the heptathlon women's 200-meter at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Olympics Latest: World champ Dutch out in women's handball

Aug. 03, 2021 07:59 PM EDT

Belarus sprinter tells AP she wants an investigation into who gave the order to withdraw her from Tokyo Olympics

Aug. 03, 2021 05:18 AM EDT
MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus sprinter tells AP she wants an investigation into who gave the order to withdraw her from Tokyo Olympics. ...

In this image made from video provided by NTV, Belarus Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya enters the Polish embassy in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. Tsimanouskaya plans to seek asylum in Poland, an activist group said Monday, after the athlete alleged that her team’s officials tried to force her to fly home, where she feared she wouldn’t be safe from an autocratic government that recently was accused of diverting a plane in order to arrest a dissident journalist. (NTV via AP)

Belarus sprinter says punishment awaited her back home

By Daniel Kozin And Daria Litvinova Aug. 03, 2021 05:10 AM EDT

Belarus sprinter tells AP it was made clear to her she would face punishment upon return to Belarus

Aug. 03, 2021 05:03 AM EDT
MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus sprinter tells AP it was made clear to her she would face punishment upon return to Belarus. ...