Washington Delays Cuba Participation at World Baseball Classic

Havana, Dec 7 (ACN) Washington has not yet granted permit to Cuban-origin athletes currently in major leagues baseball to join the Cuba team to the 5th World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 8-21 next year.

“From months now, the Cuban Baseball Federation publically announced its willingness to make up a team for the Classic, with Cuban players who participate in local competitions and other leagues from around the world, including the Major Leagues Baseball,” said Juan Reinaldo Perez, president of the Cuban federation and added: “Now we are informed that it needs a permit by the US government.”

Perez said that the Cuban federation published the names of the baseball players who have confirmed willingness to participate as part of the Cuban team in the championship.

The US administration granted Cuba the required permit to participate at the 5th World Baseball Classic, which is a necessary condition given the hostile US policy of Cuba. The island could not take part of the preparatory stage of the championship which was already underway because Washington had not issued the permit.

The US had not even requested the Cuban list of the 50 players eligible to make up the team to the event, as it had already been done with other participating countries.

The Cuban Baseball Federation strongly rejects the discriminatory treatment of Cuba by the US government under politically motivated reasons which run against the enjoyment of sports, said the Cuban official.