INDER denounces discriminatory treatment by the U.S. against the Cuban baseball team

HAVANA, Cuba, March 2 (ACN) The National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER by its Spanish acronym) denounced in a statement that the United States government's denial of visas to eight members of the Cuban delegation to the VI World Baseball Classic constitutes an act of discrimination and aggression against national sport.

The agency specified that the decision is intended to hinder the participation and performance of the Cuban team in the competition by depriving it of executives and specialists with roles defined by the organizers, including a pitching coach.

INDER noted that since January 2025, visa denials have been registered for Cuban athletes and federation officials for events in that country, and pointed out that this measure has a distinctly political character that puts Cuba at a disadvantage compared to the other participating nations.

According to the institution, the action ignores the efforts of Major League Baseball and the Classic organizers to guarantee Cuba's participation and seeks to provoke a possible decision by the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation not to attend the tournament under these conditions.

The organization emphasized that crippling the delegation by denying visas, abusing the privilege of being the host country, constitutes an act of contempt toward Cuba and limits the possibilities that must be determined on the field, under equal conditions.

INDER reiterated that during almost seven decades of confronting the United States' policy of aggression, sports have been one of the sectors most impacted, and reaffirmed its strong rejection of this decision.

The institution recalled the epic struggle at Cerro Pelado in 1966, when Cuba overcame the obstacles imposed to participate in the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and asserted that, as then, the national team will once again arrive at the Classic venues with dignity and determination.