World Baseball Classic. Photo: Jit

Havana, December 7 (RHC)-- Permission has not yet been obtained from the U.S. government for athletes from Cuba playing in the Major Leagues to join the Cuban team for the V World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 8-21, 2023.

"For months, the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) publicly announced, and has reiterated on multiple occasions, the willingness to form a team for the Classic, resulting from the call to Cuban players participating in our national championships and other leagues in the world, including the MLB," said Juan Reinaldo Perez Pardo, president of the FCB.

In a press release published on the website www.jit.cu, the federation president said that "now we are informed that this also requires a permit from the U.S. government".

Perez Pardo also added that "our Federation has even disclosed to the fans and the public opinion the names of the athletes who have confirmed their willingness to join the team, as all the other teams have done".

The U.S. Government granted the permission required for the Cuban team to participate in the V World Baseball Classic, a necessary condition due to the hostile policy of that country against Cuba. This information was officially conveyed by the organizers of the event.

"In the last few hours we have received the news that permission was granted for Cuba to play in the Classic," Perez Pardo informed. He added that "only Cuba needs a permit from the U.S. Government to be able to participate in the event".

For not having this authorization so far, Cuba had not been invited to participate in the preparatory phase of the event that had already been taking place.

"Nor had we been asked to deliver the list of the 50 athletes eligible to form the team that will represent us in this important tournament, as was done with the rest of the countries that qualified for the V Classic," said the president of the FCB.

The discriminatory treatment against Cuba by the U.S. Government is regrettable and the Cuban Baseball Federation firmly rejects it. The motivations are purely political and threaten the exercise and enjoyment of the sport.