Havana/The leaks of Jonathan Charón, Lianet Cardona, Dayanara Curbelo and Orlando Polancowho won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Pan American Open in Florida, truncated the plans of the Cuban Judo and Jiu Jitsu Federation. No team from the Island traveled to Canada for the Montreal Pan American Judo Open that ends this Monday.
“The worrying thing is that Cuban judo continues to lose opportunities to compete internationally, gain experience and add important points for future commitments,” warned judo coach Alain Fernández Casero, who released details of the abandonments in Florida.
Fernández believes that Cuban athletes “need opportunities, stability and sports planning that guarantees their future.”
The former Cuban fighter Roly Damaso He emphasizes on his social networks that behind each escape “there are years of training, family sacrifices, dreams and aspirations that do not find an answer within Cuba.”
In Dámaso’s opinion, “it is not about a lack of patriotism or ingratitude. It is about the right of any athlete to decide about their future, develop their talent and receive decent remuneration for their profession.”
Roly Dámaso emphasizes that behind each escape “there are years of training, family sacrifices, dreams and aspirations that do not find an answer within Cuba.”
The retired fighter points out that “while in international sports athletes sign professional contracts, receive sponsorships, build assets and ensure the future of their families, in Cuba they continue to be subject to restrictions and administrative decisions that limit their development.”
The loss of the athletes was a blow to the ruling party. Of the group of six competitors who participated in the event, only the world medalists and Gainesville monarchs Andy Granda and Iván Silva remained, who returned to the Island last Thursday, the journalist reported on his social networks. Raul Rodriguez.
As is common in this type of leaks, the secrecy of the sports authorities prevails. However, the newspaper Rebel Youth He noted that for the event in Montreal the federations registered 13 judokas, but “finally none attended.”
The same media regretted that the decision will leave the other judokas without activity: Amado Montes, Rubén Romero, Anisleidys Ur, Yainet Coronado and Marlon Herrera.
The Montreal Pan American Judo Open awards points for classification in the ranking of the International Judo Federation, in addition to the Lima 2027 Pan American Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
