Cuban boxers won’t go to championships

The fear of possible defections has led to Thursday’s decision by the Cuban boxing federation to pull out of this year’s World Boxing Championships. According to a statement by the federation:

“We will not expose a Cuban team again to the excesses and provocations that in this case would occur in Chicago, in U.S. territory, an ideal location for merchants and traffickers to act freely with the complicity of U.S. authorities.”

Earlier this month, Fidel Castro wrote that “Cuba will not sacrifice one bit of honor” by participating in the tournament. His warning came in the aftermath of the eleven-day disappearance of Cuban pugilists Erislandy Lara and Guillermo Rigondeaux (image) during the Pan American Games in July.

The World Boxing Championships serves as a qualifying event for the 2008 Olympics, though Cuban boxers have the chance of being in two other tournaments to qualify for the games.

Sources- CBC, Reuters Africa, The Latin Americanist, BBC News

Image- BBC News