Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who left the Olympic Games in Tokyo and seeks asylum in Poland, attends a news conference in Warsaw, Poland August 5, 2021. Maciek Jazwiecki/Agencja Gazeta via REUTERS/File PhotoGENEVA, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, the Belarusian sprinter who defected at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago, has been cleared by World Athletics to compete for Poland after it waived the normal three-year waiting period for nationality changes. She defected to Poland, saying she feared for her safety if she returned to Belarus. A letter by the World Athletics Nationality Review Panel seen by Reuters on Monday said that Tsimanouskaya could represent Poland starting Aug. 6, 2023. World Athletics referred questions to the Polish Athletic Association (PZLA), saying it was a confidential application process.

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Persons: Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, Maciek, Tsimanouskaya, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Olympic, Gazeta, REUTERS, Tokyo Olympics, World Athletics, Olympics, Reuters, Olympic Games, Polish Athletic Association, Paris Games, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Poland, Warsaw, Belarusian, Belarus, BLR, Budapest, Ukraine, Moscow