The Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) denied having met with US officials about the permits that Cuban players would need in the Major League Baseball (MLB) to represent the Island in the V World Baseball Classic.
According to one note published this Wednesday by the sports portal Hitthe FCB described as “false and malicious” the news that circulated about alleged contacts and reiterated through its Twitter account that the Cuban players hired in the MLB and residing in the United States have not yet been authorized to represent Cuba in the Classic.
The FCB denies having participated in any meeting with officials of the Government of the #USAwhich still does NOT grant permission for athletes of Cuban origin, residing in that country, to join the team #Cuba?? for the V World Classic of #Baseball⚾️. #BetterNoBlock pic.twitter.com/Tj68F8CRAX
— Cuban Baseball Federation (@CubanaBeisbol) December 21, 2022
Specialized media and journalists based in South Florida had warned about an alleged meeting between officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) de Cuba and the FCB, taking into account the proximity of the event that will host several cities in Asia and the United States.
Miguel Fraga, a specialist from the United States Directorate of the Minrex, stated on his Twitter profile that “if it were not a serious issue and of such importance to our people, this denial by the FCB would not be necessary,” he says. Hit.
He also recalls that the FCB began to alert weeks ago about the delay in the granting of permits for the participation of his team in the V World Baseball Classic, as well as to dispose of the athletes of interest who are active in the MLB.
At the beginning of the month the United States government gave the green light to the participation of the Cuban team in the tournament, but until now there has been no response on the issue of the players who work in the MLB and have shown interest in joining the island’s roster.
In his post, Hit considers that the need for these permits is “clear evidence of the discriminatory treatment to which the Island is subjected due to the blockade policy and other coercive measures.”
The FCB recalled that due to the situation created, Cuba is the only participating nation that has not yet announced its 50-player roster.
Since the beginning of the World Classic, Cuba’s participation has been accompanied by controversy. Being a tournament in which a US company participates and distributes cash prizes, the inclusion of the Island could be violating the laws that uphold the US embargo on the Island.
In order to reach the first edition in 2006, which ended with the second position for Cuba, the FCB agreed to attend without the possibility of collecting possible prizes, and with the condition that their amount be allocated to those affected by Hurricane Katrina, which caused extensive damage to the city of New Orleans.
Under the same premise, and given the novel call for players with contracts in the MLB, they would have to obtain a specific permit from the US authorities. The issue seemed resolved with the agreement signed between MLB and the FCB in 2018 under the Democratic administration of Barack Obama.
However, his successor Donald Trump vetoed the agreement, alleging that the FCB was an organization dependent on the Cuban government, and the formula that also pursued an orderly and safe insertion of Cuban baseball players in the Big Top, without having to establish residence outside the country.
Cuba confirms three professional players for the Baseball Classic
The V World Baseball Classic is scheduled from March 8 to 21 with venues in the cities of Taichung (Taiwan), Tokyo (Japan), Phoenix and Miami (United States).
The Cuban team would begin by playing in the Taiwanese city, along with teams from Italy, the Netherlands, Panama and the host nation.
