Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermudez praised a fellow countrywoman who participated in the 24th Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, the shooter Laina Pérez, whose gesture which has gone viral in social networks as an example of ethics and fair play.
Laina gave up the bronze medal that she won in the 10 m air pistol event to the Mexican athlete Alejandra Cervantes, who actually did better than the Cuban but was prevented from being awarded the third place by a strange regulation establishing that the same country cannot take all three podium medals. Should this be the case, the bronze medal would be granted to the fourth place.
In highlighting Laina’s greatness, the Cuban leader remarked that there are no enemies in San Salvador, where the great Central American family is competing.
“It’s not fair that someone with a poorer result gets a medal out of sheer formality,” the Cuban athlete said in statements to the press.
Incidentally, Mexican sports authorities are requesting that their country should nominate Laina Perez for the Pierre de Coubertein Medal for fair play.
On the other hand, the Cuban Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder) on Thursday confirmed the elimination of the repatriation requirement for Cuban athletes living abroad to participate in national tournaments, a decision that allows, for instance, baseball players take part in the national tourney underway in the country.
According to a press release published on Inder’s Twitter account, “after the necessary steps have been taken, we inform that repatriation is no longer a requirement for Cuban residents abroad to participate in national events organized by Inder.”
Inder’s decision will cover all sports, including baseball, which until now had been the discipline that had raised more debates among fans, followers and the Cuban population in general.
With information of ACN and CubaSí
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