Participating nations jump to defence of troubled Cuban athletes

In a statement released yesterday, the 42 chefs de mission said: “In the light of the treatment of athletes and officials from the Cuban delegation by some journalists and sports agents at these 13th Pan American Games, the 42 chefs de mission that represent all of the delegations during these games, strongly denounce these negative actions.”

“(The actions)…Have affected not only Cuba, but all of the Americas and have interfered with the Olympic movement and the spirit of equality and good sportsmanship.”

“The Olympic movement is the strongest expression of freedom, friendship and fraternity among the countries of the world, and these actions are compromising those ideals.”

“We therefore request that these actionscease immediately.”

Cuba have complained since they arrived that scouts have been trying to lure their athletes away by offering lucrative contracts and that local media have dwelt on the subject of desertions.

Games organisers said on Thursday that some talent spotters had even shone torchlights into the rooms of Cuban athletes to try and attract their attention. “They’re using money to try and rob our talent,” complained Jose Fernandez, head of the Cuban Olympic Committee.

Although authorities say that only two Cuban athletes have defected so far, local media have refused to let the issue die while at the same time complaining that Cubans will not grant them interviews.

The pressure on the Cubans continued yesterday, with some Canadian media suggesting that Cuba had deliberately lost a baseball match last week against Canada to avoid meeting the United States in the semifinals.The winners of today’s baseball semifinals, in which Cuba play the winners of Canada’s game with Guatemala, qualify fornext year’s Olympics.

Some critics feel the format of the baseball competition was more to blame.Eight of the nine teams qualified for the quarter-finals, including all in Group B, and it was a foregone conclusion that Brazil’s fledgling team would be the side to miss out.

As a result, the first round merely served to decide who would meet who in the crucial stages.

Meanwhile, doping crept into the 13th Pan American Games, tainting the event when the Pan American Sports Organisation notified the host nation Canada that one of its athletes had failed a drug test.

There was no indication of which athlete, which sport or which banned substance was involved, but Paso’s Medical Commission met last night to determine if a violation occurred and was to announce its findings today.It was the first positive test at the regional Olympics.