The US government denied visas to eight members of the Cuban delegation set to attend the 6th World Baseball Classic, according to the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER). This decision is viewed as a political aggression against Cuba and its national sport. Despite efforts by Major League Baseball and organizers, the Cuban team faces hurdles to compete on equal terms.
Cuba's National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (INDER) denounced the discriminatory treatment by the United States government toward the Cuban delegation for the 6th World Baseball Classic. The visa denial to eight members, including a pitching coach and other specialists, aims to obstruct the team's participation and performance in this international competition.
Since January 2025, the United States has denied visas to Cuban athletes and officials for events in its territory. This political action prevents the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation from fielding a team under the same conditions as other participating nations. According to INDER, the tournament host is abusing its privilege to disadvantage Cuba, depriving it of key figures responsible for tasks that contribute to athletic performance.
The INDER statement, issued on March 1, 2026, in Havana, describes this measure as an act of contempt that puts Cuba at a disadvantage. It notes that for nearly seventy years, Cuban sports have been among the sectors most impacted by the US siege policy. Cuba reiterates its strongest rejection and states that its people and athletes will continue to win.
INDER recalls a historical precedent from sixty years ago, when the US government tried to block Cuba's participation in the 1966 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Back then, athletes trained on a ship under military surveillance but arrived and triumphed. Today, Cuba intends to return to Puerto Rico and other Classic venues with the same spirit of dignity and unwavering resolve, carrying baseball as part of its cultural heritage.
