Four Cuban baseball players have left the national team that recently participated in the Women’s World Cup held in Japan. The players, Glenda Camila Dunet, Yoannet Domínguez, Yusvani Bonne, and Talia Vélazquez, reportedly left the Cuban delegation while the team made a stopover in Mexico. This exodus brings the total number of Cuban athletes who have participated in international competitions or left contracts during 2023 to 44.
The Cuban team’s performance in the Women’s Baseball World Cup was disappointing, with four losses (three of them by knockout) and only one victory against France. This marks their worst historical performance in these tournaments. In previous World Cup editions, the Cuban team had placed sixth in 2006 and 2010, seventh in 2018, and eighth in 2012 and 2016.
Questions about the future of women’s baseball were raised, and player Alfredo Despaigne assured that it is developing and that stronger Cuban women’s teams would be seen in the future. However, due to the economic crisis Cuba is currently facing, the national women’s baseball championship could not be held.
The constant abandonment of Cuban athletes in the face of these circumstances has sparked concerns. With only two athletes expected to attend the Olympics, some express disappointment that the entire team couldn’t stay together. The situation reflects the challenges faced by Cuban athletes due to the economic crisis and its impact on sports development in the country.