The World Baseball-Softball Confederation (WBSC) will support Cuban players to be hired in international professional leagues, as part of a memorandum of understanding signed this Wednesday between that entity and the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB).
After signing the document, the Italian Ricardo Fraccaripresident of the WBSC, expressed his desire that “this message reaches the athletes and they know that they will be able to hire themselves legally and safely in foreign leagues, to play the baseball of the highest level”, as reported the website Hit.
The media specifies that the agreement between the two sports entities was finalized in the Latin American Stadium, in Havana, and on the Cuban side it was signed by Juan Reinaldo Pérez, president of the FCB, in the presence of the head of the Cuban Olympic Committee (COC). ), Roberto Leon Richards.
On the subject, Fraccari added that the WBSC cannot resolve political problems between countries, but it can support Cuban players in their desire to be hired in professional leagues of any nation.
Today in Havana a historic agreement has been signed with the FCB led by President Juan Pérez. The agreement supports the hiring of players abroad. pic.twitter.com/PWcZlPAcmP
— Riccardo Fraccari (@WBSCPresident) May 4, 2022
The information of Hit It does not provide more details about the way in which the WBSC would support the contracts of Cuban players in professional leagues around the world, nor the legal implications that the entity would assume in them.
The memorandum of understanding also includes the support of the World Confederation to Cuba in technical matters for the development of the baseball on the islandindicates the publication.
After the signing of the document, both Fraccari and Pérez Pardo evoked the work carried out for its realization by Higinio Vélez and Ernesto Reinoso – who died as a result of COVID-19 last year –, when they served as leaders of the FCB and the national commission, respectively.
In an exchange with the national and foreign press, Fraccari expressed his confidence that Cuba would once again host international WBSC events, and welcomed the idea of creating a professional league on the island, in which foreign players could also play, reports the means, medium.
The Italian federation also referred to the recent congress of the Pan American Baseball Confederation (Copabe), held in Barranquilla, and highlighted the election of a woman as the new president, adds the specialized publication.
According to Jit, another of the issues discussed was the position of the WBSC regarding the recent creation of the Association of Cuban Professional Baseball Players, based in Florida, United States, and which intends to represent Cuba in international tournaments. On this subject, Fraccari expressed himself “negatively” and reiterated that the entity he directs will only recognize FCB as “the only one with the right to form teams with the name and attributes of Cuba.”
Fraccari also ratified the emergence for 2023 of the Baseball Champions League, which will launch with a home run later this year in Mexico. The way in which the fight will be carried out and the classification to reach the finalist quartet of the contest is still being valued, limits the media.
Regarding the possible rescue of the Intercontinental Baseball Cup, the manager stated that a new version would no longer be by invitation and that it should first have champions in each regional confederation.
The theme of the definitive return to the program of the Olympic Games was also approached by Fraccari, who insisted that more thought should be given to the weaknesses that this sport faces in relation to the rules established for the IOC for its great event, he points out Hit.
On the Cuban side, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo thanked Fraccari and the WBSC for the agreement reached and for pondering the historical character of baseball in Cuba, which has become the nation’s cultural heritage. In addition, according to Jit, he reiterated that contracts abroad are “key” to the development of Cuban baseball, and affirmed that what has been signed will contribute to the implementation of the new development strategy for this sport on the Island.
