United States will Permit Cuban MLB Players like Jose Abreu to Represent Home Country at World Baseball Classic

Jose Abreu could represent Cuba in next year’s World Baseball Classic.

The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba, like the 35-year-old professional baseball player, to represent their home country in the tournament next year.

Jose AbreuThe decision announced over the weekend in a news release by the Baseball Federation of Cuba (FCB) could be a big step in once again turning Cuba’s national team into heavy hitters on an international stage.

Major League Baseball confirmed Monday that the U.S. granted the license to FCB.

It clears the way for MLB stars such as Abreu, Yordan AlvarezRandy ArozarenaYoan Moncada and Luis Robert to play for Cuba in the WBC in March if they choose to accept a potential invitation.

It’s up to each country’s national governing body to pick the players on its WBC team. Final 30-man rosters are due on February 7 for the WBC, which begins March 8 with Cuba facing the Netherlands in Taiwan.

While the sport of choice for much of Latin America is soccer, baseball dominates in Cuba. The island has gained fame around the world for its baseball talent.

But in recent years, hundreds of those players have defected from Cuba to play professionally elsewhere. Most notably, many have become United States residents and stars with major league teams in the U.S.

The defections are largely due to a not-so-uncommon geopolitical spat between the two seaside neighbors, leaving Cuban players stuck in the middle.

Cuban athletes competing on the island can’t earn a paycheck under the communist government, which prohibited professional sports following the Cuban revolution 60 years ago.

Longtime sanctions by the U.S. make it largely impossible for Cubans to play professionally for an American team without defecting. Meanwhile, Cuba historically has not allowed Cuban players who defected on their national team rosters.

The defections have taken a toll on Cuba’s performance in international baseball competitions. For example, the Cuban baseball team failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Games after years of previously winning medals in the sport.

In November, Cuba changed its tune and invited several top players who defected to represent the country in the World Baseball Classic, a tournament that features some of the sport’s top players competing in Japan, Taiwan and the U.S.

Weeks later, Cuban officials accused the Biden administration of blocking those players from representing Cuba.

In a statement Saturday, FCB President Juan Reinaldo Perez Pardo called the permit a “positive step,” and said the Cuban federation should have more information about the team’s WBC roster once it has more details about the license granted by the U.S.

At the same time, Perez Pardo also criticized the U.S., tweeting Saturday that “it is arbitrary and discriminatory that a permit from the government of this country (the U.S.) is needed to attend” the WBC.

Ana Villafañe to Star as Fidel Castro’s Daughter Alina Fernandez in “Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde”

Ana Villafañe is ready to Rebel yell

The 32-year-old Cuban American actress and singer will star in the indie feature Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde.

Ana Villafañe

Villafañe will portray Fidel Castro’s daughter and anti-communism activist, Alina Fernandez, in the film from Mankind Entertainment and Maven Pictures.

Alina of Cuba is based on the true-life story of Fernandez, a Cuban American immigrant and human rights advocate whose birth was the result of a passionate love affair between Castro and Natalia Naty Revuelta. Revuelta, a Cuban-born socialite, sacrificed her and her physician husband’s personal belongings and finances to help fund the revolution.

Fernandez learned of her connection to Castro at the age of 10: when after years of secret visits to her home, she was finally told by her mother that “El Comandante” was her biological father. Fernandez and her mother stayed in Cuba after the former’s stepfather and her sister fled to the U.S. after his medical clinic was shut down.

Fernandez eventually became one of Castro’s most outspoken critics; she was arrested on more than one occasion for trying to leave and classified as a dissident forbidden to travel outside of Cuba. She defected to Spain in 1993 and later made Miami her permanent home.

The biopic will shoot in Cartagena, Colombia this summer with Goya Award-winner Miguel Bardem set as director.

Alina of Cuba, formerly known as Castro’s Daughter, is written by Academy Award nominee Jose Rivera, and Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz.

Villafañe is best known for her breakout role in the Broadway musical On Your Feet portraying Gloria Estefan.

She later starred as Nina Rosario in the Kennedy Center’s 2018 production of In the Heights, and then made her off-Broadway debut in MCC’s critically acclaimed Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties that same year.

On television, Villafañe most recently portrayed Dr. Valentin Castro in NBC’s New Amsterdam and Diana Barea in Sunnysidfor the network, as well as KT in the Paramount+ series Younger.

Cuba’s Andy Cruz Claims Gold in Men’s Lightweight Boxing at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

Andy Cruz is officially an Olympic gold medalist…

The 25-year-old Cuban boxer defeated Team USA’s Keyshawn Davis by split decision to claim the gold medal in the men’s lightweight boxing competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Andy Cruz

In a re-run of the 2019 World Championships, the 22-year-old American was forced to take silver after a split decision favored Cruz, who is also the reigning Pan-American champion.

Davis had set a quick pace from the opening bell by going out on the attack with Cruz biding his time before hitting the target. The top seed went back to his corner at the end of the round ahead by four judges.

Andy Cruz

The story reversed in the second round when Davis, buoyed on by the vocal support of his team in the Kokugikan Arena, landed a series of blows on Cruz to win all 10s from the judges.

There was everything to play for the in third round. Davis was a constant threat, but Cruz replied with killer jabs and by the end both raised their arms in celebration.

There was an agonizing wait for the result before it was announced that Cruz had won 4-1 and the Olympic title. The judges had preferred his ability to defend himself and reply with less frequent shots. On his way to final, he had demolished Australia’s Harry Garside 5-0 in the semifinal, and in the earlier rounds Brazil’s Wanderson de Oliveira 4-1 and Great Britain’s Luke McCormack 5-0.

“I’m very happy because I could reach my goal. It was my goal to reach gold and I accomplished that,” said an elated Cruz after the bout.

Davis, who took silver, also reacted positively to the fight: “I feel like it was a great fight. It was moving so fast, I barely remember it. But I felt like it was a 3-2 decision, it was a good technical fight, I think the fans loved it.” On winning a silver medal, he added: “Everything was worth it, man. Even though it’s a silver medal, I still learned a lot about myself in this tournament, leading up to the silver medal. I think I’m a better fighter now.”

The bronze medals were awarded to Garside and Armenia’s Hoyhannes Bachkov, who Davis had beaten in the semifinal 5-0.

Julio César La Cruz Claims Heavyweight Boxing Gold at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

It’s new weight class, same result for Julio César La Cruz.

The 31-year-old Cuban amateur boxer soundly defeated the Russian Olympic Committee’s Muslim Gadzhimagomedov to claim the heavyweight boxing title at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Julio César La Cruz

La Cruz put on a defensive masterclass in his 5:0 win to add the gold medal in a second weight class after winning the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2016 Rio Games.

“To win Olympic gold is really very, very tough, and it requires everything really from the boxer,” La Cruz said. “The fighter has to give it his best. All of the boxers are at a very, very top level here, and to reach that gold medal requires hard work and sacrifice.”

It’s the third boxing gold for Cuba at this year’s Games.

La Cruz’s compatriots Roniel Iglesias and Arlen López also moved up one weight class from their previous championship divisions to claim their second golds.

An extraordinary feat has been made common by these three Cuban stars, and they’re aware of the importance of their achievements in their nation’s decorated boxing history.

“We have great talent in our ranks, so we’re confident,” La Cruz said through a translator. “We just have to prepare, train hard and focus on the objective.”

Yaime Perez Claims Bronze in Women’s Discus Throw at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

The third time’s the charm for Yaime Perez

Competing in her third Olympics, the 30-year-old Cuban athlete was able to finally take the medal stand after claiming the bronze medal in the women’s discus throw competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Yaime Perez

Perez completed the competition with a best-throw of 65.72 meters.

Team USA’s Valarie Allman took home the gold with a throw of 68.98 meters.

German’s Kristin Pudenz won the silver with a throw of 66.86 meters.

Pérez won the gold medal at the 2019 World Championships and the 2019 Pan American Games.

Perez previously competed in the 2012 London Games, where she finished in 29th place in the qualifying round; and 2016 Rio Games, where she reached the final but did not advance after three throws.

Cuba’s Juan Miguel Echevarría Settles for Silver After Dramatic Long Jump Finish at Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

Juan Miguel Echevarría has jumped his way onto the Olympics medal podium… 

The 22-year-old Cuban athlete claimed the silver medal in the men’s long jump competition at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Juan Miguel Echevarría 

Echevarría finished the competition with a best jump of 8.41 meters, losing the gold to Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece, who won in the most dramatic fashion as he leapt 8.41 meters in his final attempt to snatch the top prize.

Tentoglou was the world leader coming into Tokyo with an 8.60m leap at a domestic competition in May, but struggled to find his form and was outside the medals positions as he hit the runway for the final time.

Tentoglou hit the board perfectly to match the leading mark, with his second-best jump of 8.15m assuring him the gold by edging out Echevarría ‘s 8.09m.

A limping Echevarria had one more chance to improve on his second-best effort but pulled up, sinking to his knees at the board.

Maykel Masso

He was comforted by compatriot Maykel Masso, who won the bronze.

The 22-year-old Cuban long jumper finished the competition with a jump of 8.21 meters.

Juan Miguel Echevarría, Miltiadis Tentoglou, Maykel Masso

Mijaín López Claims Fourth Consecutive Wrestling Olympic Gold Medal at Tokyo Games

Mijaín López has cemented his status as a wrestling legend…

The 38-year-old Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler claimed his fourth consecutive Olympic gold after defeating Georgia’s Iacob Kadzhaia 5-0 in the 130kg Greco-Roman wrestling final.

Mijain Lopez

In the process, Lopez surpassed Russia’s Alexander Karelin, who won three consecutive Olympic gold medals between 1988 and 1996.

Lopez won the Olympic titles at the 2008 Beijing Games, the 2012 London Games and 2016 Rio Games.

Mijain Lopez

Since Beijing, Lopez has been unbeaten at the Olympics, and in Tokyo, he didn’t give up a single point in the entire tournament.

The Cuban accumulates 20 Olympic fights, of which he has won 19. From London 2012 to August 2, 2021 in Tokyo, Mijaín scored 55 points and allowed none in 12 appearances. The last man who has managed to score him was precisely the Russian Baroev in Beijing 2008.

“I feel happy and proud to be the best in the world and make history,” he said Monday night at a press conference.

“I’ve had a long career, working hard to make these successes and break this record. To be able to break this record today, for me, is a great achievement, because I’ve been up against the best and I can be proud.”

Only Japan’s Kaori Icho, in the freestyle, has managed to win four Olympic gold medals in as many Games, in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.

Luis Orta Wins Cuba’s First Gold Medal at the Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

Luis Orta is celebrating his golden moment…

The 26-year-old Cuban wrestler defeated Japan’s Kenichiro Fumita in the men’s Greco-Roman 60 kg wrestling competition to claim the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Luis Orta

Orta defeated Fumita by a final score of 5-1.

In the main bracket, Orta kicked off his campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over USA’s Ildar Hafizov, in the round of 32. In the quarterfinals, Orta overcame Sergey Emelin, who was representing the Russian Olympic Committee. He stormed into the finals with an 11-0 win over Victor Ciobanu, Republic of Moldova.

Luis Orta

In the finals, Luis Orta dominated the match in the early stages and had taken a lead of 4-0 before Fumita scored a point. As time ticked away, Orta sealed the first Gold medal for Cuba at this year’s Olympics.

China’s Walihan Sailike and Emelin of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) claimed the bronze medals.

 

Idalys Ortiz Claims Fourth Career Olympics Medal at the Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

It’s a rare honor for Idalys Ortiz

The 31-year-old Cuban judoka may have lost her gold medal match against Japan’s Akira Sone in the women’s judo +78 kg category at the 2020 Tokyo Games, but she’s still managed to make some history.

Idalys Ortiz

In claiming the silver at this Summer Olympics, Ortiz became the fourth women to earn at least four medals in judo, having also won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Games, gold at the 2012 London Games and silver at 2016 Rio Games.

Ryoko Tani owns the record for the most with five.

Sone won the match via ippon in the Golden Score period after Oritz was charged with her third penalty of the encounter at the 8:52 mark of the match.

Idalys Ortiz

“Akira Sone is a great athlete,” Ortiz said. “She is very young, she is very talented, and we knew beforehand if she ended up being my opponent she would be very difficult to beat.”

The bronze medals went to France’s Romane Dicko and Iryna Kindzerska, of Azerbaijan, who is the first woman from her country to earn an Olympic medal in judo.

Rafael Alba Wins Cuba’s First Medal at the Tokyo Games

2020 Tokyo Games

Rafael Alba has put Cuba on the board…

The 27-year-old Cuban taekwondo athlete won his men’s +80kg bronze medal taekwondo match 5-4 against Japan’s Sun Hongyi to claim Cuba’s first medal of the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Rafael Alba

The two-time world taekwondo champion won the medal, one of the two bronze medals awarded in the sport, in a match that took place on the tatami installed at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba, to the east of the capital.

Rafael Alba

It was Alba’s second appearance at the Olympics. He previously competed at the 2016 Rio Games.