Cuba’s participation in the VI World Baseball Classic (WBC) is in doubt again, after the US Government denied the visas several members of the Cuban delegation and the island’s authorities said that they will analyze “how to proceed.”
The Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation (FCBS) confirmed that the North American nation, which will host most of the tournament, denied the entry visa for eight members of the Antillean delegation, including the president of the federation itself, Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo.
According to a statement from the FCBS, made public by the sports portal Hit, The entity considers that the decision from the United States gives the back to “lThe most basic precepts of sport and the commitments assumed by the host countries of competitions of this type”.
FCBS denounces visa denials for the World Classic
He specified that this decision turns its back on the most basic precepts of sport and the commitments of the countries hosting competitions of this type. #Cuba #Baseball #CubanBaseball #elCubaClasicohttps://t.co/OJbnJz7KWa pic.twitter.com/wa1w8xbqlK— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) February 26, 2026
In turn, the island’s baseball organization denounces that “the denial of visas adds to the complexities that marked the roster integration process, subject to different deadlines than those established for the rest of the countries invited, due to the need for the organizers to have permission from the United States Government, essential to invite Cuba.”.
“Citing as the cause (for the denial of visas) what is established in Section 243 (d) of the Immigration and Nationality Law of that country, disrespects the essence of sport and the responsibility inherent to its protagonists and places our delegation at an obvious disadvantage. It is false that Cuba does not cooperate with the United States on immigration matters,” the text states.
Officials in the target
The statement issued by the FCBS states that, in addition to Pérez Pardo, the visa denial affects the Secretary General of that entity itselfCarlos del Pino, and the pitching coach and former pitcher for the Cuban national teams Pedro Luis Lazo.
“They, like the other five affected, are part of the delegation with specific functions, established by the organizers for all the countries convened, given the demands linked to the integral functioning of the delegations,” says the island’s federation.
The official note, however, does not mention the rest of those who would have been vetoed by the US, who according to other sources would also be officials enrolled in the delegation.
According to a publication by the journalist Francys Romero on his Facebook profilein that group would be the first vice president of INDER, Raúl Fornés Valenciano, who served as the head of the delegation who went to the version beforeior of the contest.
I would also be Gisleidis Soda, Director of Foreign Relations of the sports organization and Yudith Langaneymember of the FCBS. If so, the two other members of the delegation who did not receive the visa remain to be identified.
The situation with visas breaks out a few days before the group must travel to United States territory to take on two preparation games against Major League teams (MLB, for its acronym in English).
The program of duels agreed upon by the organizers for all teams establishes the presence of the Cuban team in Arizona, where it must face the Kansas City Royals franchises (March 3) and the Reds of Cincinnati (March 4).
Then, the Cuban team would travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico, headquarters of key A, a trip for which they also require a US visa. Over there, besides of the hosts and the Cubans, the teams from Panama, Canada and Colombia will play.
