Photo: PL

Havana, February 7 (RHC)-- Cuban female boxers will make their first international commitment in the 5th ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) Games, official sources said in Caracas.

The general director of High Performance of the Cuban Sports Institute (INDER), José Antonio Miranda, told Prensa Latina that the age established by the organizers of the multi-sport event, scheduled for April 21-29, complicated Cuban participation, even for men.

"A limit of up to 30 years had been initially established and we managed to extend it to 40, as in the International Federation (IBA), to take our main figures, and especially in the women's category, since several of our boxers are over 30," he said.

After exchanges between both parties, it was also agreed to review the categories in basketball (U-17) and cycling (U-18).

"We also talked with the Venezuelan side about chess, because the Elo is too low for the participation of top level players", added the director.

The multi-sports competition will be held in the states of Caracas, Miranda and La Guaira, with the participation of some 3,500 competitors from 11 countries.

Likewise, Miranda added that Cuba intends to support the ALBA Games in some areas such as ceremonies, statistics, sports medicine and others, in order to guarantee the success of the event.

In the specific case of boxing, it would be the debut of Cuban women, since the official practice was authorized last December.

"It is an event that we have in our critical route, as preparation for the Central American (Games) (of San Salvador 2023)," he said.

Six pugilists should go to the Salvadoran lid, and perhaps before that some of them will compete in the Women's World Championship, scheduled for May 1 to 14 in Uzbekistan, according to what was said months ago.