Cuban rowers abandon ship for US
July 16, 2015
Four Cuban rowers taking part in the Pan American Games in Toronto have defected, according to a report on Wednesday. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Leosmel Ramos, Wilber Turro, Manuel Suarez and Orlando Sotolongo had defected.
The rowing venue at the Pan Am Games, a quadrennial multisport event featuring countries from across the Americas, sits in St. Catharines, near Niagara Falls and a short distance from the US border. According to the report, the four athletes had traveled to the United States after quitting the team but maintained contacts through social networks.
Sotolongo had won a silver medal in the men's quadruple sculls event on Tuesday.
History of defections
In the past week, two Cuban players also deserted their team during the Gold Cup, a soccer competition played in the United States to determine the regional champion for North America, Central American and the Caribbean. Over the years, Cuba has also lost many baseball prospects and top players who have fled their country to seek contracts with US Major League Baseball clubs. In the 1999 Pan-American Games in Winnipeg, eight members of the Cuban delegation defected.
Citizen and Immigration Canada would not comment on US immigration policies and asylum claims. American officials also had no immediate reply. A spokesman from the Cuban delegation had no comment.
The relationship between Cuba and the US has thawed, and earlier this month the countries formally agreed to restore diplomatic ties as of July 20, fulfilling a pledge made in December.
mkg/gsw (Reuters, AFP)