07/01/25 01:08:00
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07/01 12:50 CDT 'The disappointment is huge:' Cuban women's volleyball team
denied US visa to compete in Puerto Rico
'The disappointment is huge:' Cuban women's volleyball team denied US visa to
compete in Puerto Rico
HAVANA, Cuba (AP) --- The Cuban women's national volleyball team was denied a
chance to play in a tournament in Puerto Rico following the new visa
restrictions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Cuban Volleyball Federation said last week that the team, comprising 12
athletes, a referee, and several coaches, had their visa request denied and
will be unable to attend the tournament later this month.
"The disappointment is huge because I train every day, every hour of training
is leading up to this and dedicate myself to it," national team player Laura
Suarez told The Associated Press. "It's really disappointing not to be able to
participate in the competition, which is what I've been preparing myself
for.(asterisk)
Cuba was scheduled to play in the NORCECA Women's Final Four tournament in
Manat, Puerto Rico. The tournament includes the host nation, Mexico and Costa
Rica and it awards ranking points toward qualification for the Volleyball
Nations League.
"We were focused on the competition because it's right there," said Dayana
Martnez, another player. "Arriving at the embassy and being denied the visa
affects us a lot because that competition gives us points to improve our
ranking,"
The Cuban team's coach, Wilfredo Robinson, said the decision means his team is
likely to miss out on the Nations League.
"The competition grants points for each match and at the end it all adds up,"
Robinson said. "In September we have another tournament and if we get there
needing to achieve 80 or 100 points we are not going to be able to do it."
The United States added Cuba to a list of 12 countries with restrictions for
entering the U.S. or its territories, effective from early June. It includes
nationals from Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Iran, Venezuela, and other
nations.
"Denial of visas is part of a racist and xenophobic list of visa restrictions,"
Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote on his X account.
In a message sent to The Associated Press, the U.S. Embassy in Cuba stated
that, according to its privacy policies, it could not comment on specific cases
but that directives were being implemented to secure the borders and protect
U.S. communities and citizens.
The Cuban women's national team won back-to-back world championships in 1994
and 1998. It also won three Olympic golds in a row in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta
1996 and Sydney 2000.
The U.S. measures are likely to impact many more Cuban athletes who depend on
international competitions, including some on American soil to qualify for
major championships and the next Olympics scheduled to be played in Los Angeles
in 2028.
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AP Volleyball: https://apnews.com/hub/volleyball
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