Blue Bomber free agent now in Poland steps up to help those escaping from Ukraine

A two-time Grey Cup champion with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is now in Poland, where he's helping people escape the violence in Ukraine.

Thiadric Hansen, a 29-year-old German-born linebacker and special-teams ace, is now helping organize buses taking refugees from Warsaw to Hamburg, Germany.

From there, refugees connect with a group that helps get them flights and accommodations, and provides them with internet access.

Hansen, now a free agent after helping Winnipeg win the 2019 and 2021 championships, was already in Poland, and says he was at the gym working out when he realized he wanted to do something to help those affected by the conflict.

"I just saw a post [on social media]. I said, 'OK, I'm going to post also about it.' And then I thought to myself, 'You know, in Poland, I'm pretty close to the border. Maybe I can do do a little bit more,'" he told CBC News Network host Aarti Pole.

"I can't really tell what was the motivation to actually do more than just post, but it was just … a feeling of 'OK, I'll do this,' and I never did it before."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is now in its third week.

The military offensive widened on Friday, striking near airports in the west of the country for the first time as troops kept up pressure on the capital, Kyiv.

Much of Hansen's work in Poland has been focused on helping international students leaving Ukraine, some of whom have reported facing racial discrimination and other challenges while trying to escape the conflict. 

For example, Ukrainians are being offered free train travel in Poland if they have a Ukrainian passport, but that's not an option for students who were born in another country, he said. 

"Some of the students maybe have family somewhere, but they just can't