U.S. Denies Visas to Cuban Basketball Players

Cuba’s national men’s basketball team was supposed to play their final game of the FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers last February in Puerto Rico. But the players never made the flight. Cuba had to forfeit the match when nearly all its players as well as the coaches and support staff were denied U.S. visas to attend the game.

Hear from the players themselves in our report below.

Cuban basketball players have been denied visas in the past, but Cuba's Basketball Federation says this is the first time this has happened on this scale. Only two players – both living outside the island – were granted visas.

“We’re traveling as players, not tourists,” said Arle Zaporta, the team’s center. “Sports are sports. We just want to play.”

This March, 14 Cuban athletes were denied visas to participate in the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship in Gainesville, Florida.

Cuba’s Olympic Committee denounced last week that Cuban sports officials had also been denied visas this year.

The trend is concerning for Cuban athletes as they begin qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“Our teams will always be in [regional] groups with countries that require a visa, like Puerto Rico and the U.S.,” said Dalia Henry, president of Cuba’s Basketball Federation. "There has to be a way for us to be allowed to...participate and qualify in the same way as everyone else.”