Activists Fight U.S. Visa Denials for Cuban Athletes

Since Trump took office in January, his administration has effectively blocked dozen of Cuban athletes from competing in the U.S. The upshot is that Cubans' participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is under threat. 

Hands Off Cuba, a Los Angeles-based solidarity group, launched a campaign to put a stop to this discrimination. Activists are demanding the International Olympic Committee, whose charter promises fair play, intervene.

“It's ridiculous that any sports team would be denied their visa for something that the whole world is going to enjoy... You would not only deprive the United States, but the whole entire world of the presence of the Cuban people at the Olympics,” said Hakim Jihad, Coordinator of Hands Off Cuba’s Jacksonville chapter.

​Watch what Hands off Cuba told us about the fight to ensure Cuba’s athletes get to compete on equal terms.

​Trump’s partial travel ban on Cuban nationals technically includes an exemption for athletes, but decisions about who does and who doesn't get U.S. visas are made by embassies under Marco Rubio's State Department. Since early this year, a de facto travel ban has been imposed on Cuban sports, and dozens of athletes are suffering the consequences.

We spoke with players on Cuba’s national men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams about the competitions they’ve missed due to the visa denials and the broader consequences of being blocked from competing in the U.S.

​Read our article to learn more about Rubio’s war on athletes.