U.S. Denies Cuban Volleyball Team Visas…Citing “Terrorism”?

The Cuban women’s national volleyball team was denied visas to compete in Puerto Rico. This decision cost them their chance to qualify for international tournaments such as the Olympic Games that will be held in Los Angeles in 2028.

TRANSCRIPT

“In June, we had a championship in Puerto Rico, a Final Four, and we couldn’t go,” recalled Deziret Madan, Opposite Hitter, Cuban Women’s National Volleyball Team.

“The U.S. government is restricting visas for all Cuban athletes and officials, and this time it was our turn, the national volleyball team,” explained Wilfredo Robinson, Head Coach, Cuban Women’s National Volleyball Team.

“We’ve applied to the U.S. Embassy in Havana for 82 visas this year for our athletes and coaches in eight different sports. They could not go because they were not granted a visa,” underlined Gisledy Sosa, International Relations Director, Cuban Institute of Sports.

“We felt sad because we really wanted to go. Almost the entire team is playing in foreign leagues, and it’s been eight months since we last trained or played together. That tournament was going to be the first time we’d reunite as a team and play together again,” expressed Madan.

“What’s different about this latest visa denial is that in the response letters given to our athletes, they refer to the U.S. president’s June 4 proclamation, which recognizes Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. They also accuse our athletes of being part of a terrorist state, which is totally false. Our athletes have nothing to do with this, and the U.S. denied them a right to play that they had earned,” stated Sosa.

“The Final Four was an event that would have earned us points in the international rankings. Every competition we have now is important for that. Missing one means fewer opportunities to reach our goals. So in upcoming events, we’ll have to work twice as hard,” explained Whitney James, Outside Hitter, Cuban Women’s National Volleyball Team.

“The Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Los Angeles in 2028, and Cuban athletes are already being prevented from participating in key qualifying events. All of these tournaments, in one way or another, contribute to rankings, to the athletes’ development, and they’re the pathway required to reach the Olympics,” pointed out the sports official.

“It’s frustrating because you prepare mentally for a tournament. You know you have to give your best, you train hard and then suddenly this happens. It’s shocking. I think it’s unfair, because in the end this is about the development of sport. Nobody wants to miss an event when you know you could compete well, win a medal and give a strong performance,” expressed Whitney.

“Scouts attend these tournaments. Players who stand out can attract attention from professional teams and they can get contracts. We have players who don’t yet have contracts. This event was their chance to be seen and potentially be signed. And now they’ve lost that opportunity,” remarked the coach.

“Last year I was able to compete in that same event, also in Puerto Rico. Honestly, this denial took me by surprise, as we had participated the previous year,” recalled James.

“I think the denials will continue because every U.S. administration has the same policy. One may relax it a little, but then the next one tightens it again,” stated Robinson.

“When we’re not allowed to participate, it hurts the team, it hurts the fans, it hurts our families, who follow us, who want to see us succeed. It affects everyone,” stressed Whitney.

“The U.S. Olympic Committee will have to keep negotiating with the State Department or other government authorities because they have the responsibility of granting visas to participating countries. And in this case, Cuba is being denied and discriminated against,” underlined Sosa.

“We’re going to keep fighting. We’ll go to the competitions we’re allowed to, and we’ll give our best, as always, or even better,” affirmed Deziret.

“The long-term goal is Los Angeles. That’s the dream of every team, of every athlete: to compete at the Olympic Games. If they let us in… We can only hope that by then the rules will be different,” concluded the head coach.