Díaz-Canel praises gesture of Cuban athlete in regional games

 


HAVANA, Cuba, Jun 29 (ACN) Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel praised a fellow countrywoman who participated in the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, the shooter Laina Pérez, whose gesture which has gone viral in social networks as an example of ethics and fair play.

Laina gave up the bronze medal that she won in the 10 m air pistol event to the Mexican athlete Alejandra Cervantes, who actually did better than the Cuban but was prevented from being awarded the third place by a strange regulation establishing that the same country cannot take all three podium medals. Should this be the case, the bronze medal would be granted to the fourth place.

In highlighting Laina’s greatness, the Cuban leader remarked that there are no enemies in San Salvador, where the great Central American family is competing.

"It's not fair that someone with a poorer result gets a medal out of sheer formality," the Cuban athlete said in statements to the press.

Incidentally, Mexican sports authorities are requesting that their country should nominate Laina Perez for the Pierre de Coubertein Medal for fair play.