Cuban women's volleyball team blocked from entering Puerto Rico due to Donald Trump's new visa restrictions
The Cuban Volleyball Federation said the team, comprising of 12 athletes, a referee and several coaches, had their visa request denied and the team would be unable to attend the tournament later this month.
"The disappointment is huge because I train every day, every hour of training is leading up to this and dedicate myself to it," national team player Laura Suarez said.
"It's really disappointing not to be able to participate in the competition, which is what I've been preparing myself for."
Cuba was scheduled to play in the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Women's Final Four tournament in Manatí, Puerto Rico.
The tournament includes Puerto Rico, Mexico and Costa Rica and awards ranking points toward qualification for the Volleyball Nations League.
"We were focused on the competition because it's right there," player Dayana Martínez said.
"Arriving at the embassy and being denied the visa affects us a lot because that competition gives us points to improve our ranking."
The Cuban team's coach, Wilfredo Robinson, said the decision meant his team was likely to miss out on the Nations League.
"The competition grants points for each match and at the end it all adds up," Robinson said.
"In September, we have another tournament and if we get there needing to achieve 80 or 100 points, we are not going to be able to do it."
The United States added Cuba to a list of 12 countries with restrictions for entering the US or its territories, effective from early June.
The list also includes nationals from Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Iran and Venezuela, among other nations.
"Denial of visas is part of a racist and xenophobic list of visa restrictions," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez wrote on X.
The US Embassy in Cuba told The Associated Press it could not comment on specific cases according to its privacy policies, but said directives were being implemented to secure the borders and protect US communities and citizens.
The Cuban women's national team won back-to-back world championships in 1994 and 1998. It also won three Olympic golds in a row in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.
The US measures are likely to impact many more Cuban athletes who depend on international competitions, including some on American soil, to qualify for major championships.
The ban could also impact the next Olympics, scheduled to be held in Los Angeles in 2028, and next year's FIFA World Cup.
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