The German interior ministry dodged a "speculative" question on Wednesday about whether it would grant asylum to Belarusian athletes after a scandal over a recalled sprinter
BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th August, 2021) The German interior ministry dodged a "speculative" question on Wednesday about whether it would grant asylum to Belarusian athletes after a scandal over a recalled sprinter.
"Germany's asylum policy stipulates that an applicant files a request and it is considered individually. Such questions are of a speculative nature. There can be no answer," a spokesperson told reporters at a news briefing.
Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya left Tokyo for Vienna on Wednesday, after receiving a humanitarian visa from Poland on Monday. She is expected to arrive in Warsaw later in the day.
The athlete was to compete in the women's 100 meter and 200 meter relays. She was called back from the Olympics after the Belarusian sports authorities entered her in the 4x400m relay without her consent. Belarus said it was concerned about her mental health, but Timanovskaya argued that the authorities tried to send her back to hide their poor performance.
