Olympics, so Belarus intimidated Tsimanouskaya. The conversation recorded and broadcast on Telegram: two technicians against the athlete. Suicide cases often go like this, you know? You want to prove something; but you prove nothing, and in the end you could live
The text that follows part of the conversation between the Belarusian athlete Kristina Tsimanouskaya, who has just criticized on social media the leaders of his team, the deputy director of the athletics federation Artur Shumak and the head coach Yuri Moisevich. The two managers are communicating to the athlete that he will have to return to Belarus (which will not happen: Tsimanouskaya was then welcomed by Poland, who granted her a humanitarian visa, ed). Part of the conversation, recorded clandestinely, was released shortly after by a Telegram channel, @nic_and_mike, which publishes information from behind the scenes of power; the athlete herself, contacted by the Russian language channel Current Time, confirmed its authenticity. It lasts 19 minutes.
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There are instructions
Shumak:
The following instructions have arrived: you go home today, you don’t write anything anywhere, you don’t make any statements. I’ll tell you as they told me, word for word. If you want to compete for Belarus again, go home or to yours or wherever you like. The more you get excited … You know a fly in the spider’s web? The more he squirms, the worse. Here, life like this. We do stupid things. You did a stupid thing.
Tsimanouskaya: Didn’t you have to inform me? [che avrebbe dovuto correre nella staffetta, ndr]
S: I’ll explain it back to you. Here you represent the Republic of Belarus. It is not your fault if they did not inform you, for you remain responsible for what you say. You are accusing people here and in the country without even knowing why and wherefore. Do you know what your stupidity might cause? There are those who lose their jobs. People who have families. With your stupidity you could destroy entire lives. […] On top of that, you know very well that you can’t compete in this emotional state.
T: I won a Universiade in this emotional state.
S: You weren’t like that. You’re out of control now.
Moisevich: And I’m sorry, but you won’t leave a good memory of yourself if you don’t calm down.
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The request for money
M:
Now I have to go. You also have to give me $ 350 in per diem that you won’t have anymore. [fa i conti] Look, give me $ 150. If you give them back too much.
T: They make no difference to me.
M: Not that it’s my money. You do not understand? I’m sixty, nothing scares me anymore, but what if one of these officials comes and says “Carry out orders”? He could give us such a purge that there would be nothing left of the team. And you will remain in history: they will say, it all started with the Tsimanouskaya. Listen to me?
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What are the cases of suicide, you know?
T:
I don’t think this story will end well for me.
M: No. Did you hear the minister? Well, then he spoke to me: insubordination. […] He told me: you talk to her … If you leave, things will go on, there will be medals, everything will be forgotten; if you stay, against his will, it will be a precedent that interferes with the future of the team. Can’t you do it for the team? […] what suicides go, you know? The devil pushes someone on the windowsill and tells him: jump, show us that you can do it. And you know what’s the worst? That in the end you won’t have proved anything to anyone. And you could live.
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Now we agree
M:
Now we will tell the Committee that you are hurt, we solve it like this, and you go away. Then when everything calmed down I promise you that you will stay in athletics.
T: I do not believe it.
M: Well, you know the worst alternative. You know what they say about gangrene, right? If you don’t cut half a leg then you die. You are a smart girl. You know I’m right. […] Come on, cry a little more and I’m going to say we agree.
T (in tears): But we disagree.
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August 4, 2021 (change August 5, 2021 | 08:20)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
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