Fidel would banish athletes who defect
In a statement written for broadcast in Wednesday's Round Table TV program, Fidel Castro shut the nation's door on any Cuban athlete who defects while representing the island abroad. "Let us never permit the traitors to later visit the country to display the luxuries obtained through infamy," Castro wrote. And "let us also blame ourselves" for their defection. His brief note appeared to be in response to the Cuban fans' displeasure over the national baseball team's loss to the United States, 4-1, during the championship game of the 24th Haarlem Baseball Week in Holland, on Saturday. "It is not [the players], in any case, who should deserve the worst criticism if something didn't turn out all right," Castro continued. "They are going to Olympic Games that will take place on the other side of the world, where the hours of sleep and the rhythm of life are different." Alluding to the exclusion of baseball from future Olympic Games, Castro said the Cuban baseball players "have an intense program of physical preparation, entirely directed toward their last participation in that sport in the Olympiads, because that's what was determined by the rich and powerful masters of the Olympic sports. [Our players] have not been defeated. Let us not discourage them. Let us send them a message of encouragement. Why don't we wait for the end of the Olympiads to discuss in depth, and in truly democratic form, the responsibility of all those who are involved in Cuban sports? We dazzle our people with sports successes and promises, but later we don't dare to even publish the names of those who betray their country, selling themselves to the enemy." Apparently complaining that ideology is not sufficiently stressed in the training of athletes, Castro said that "much science and little conscience appears to be our bureaucratic motto in the formation of athletes."
However, Castro said, "despite adverse circumstances, our athletes shine by their human and patriotic quality. Not even one in every ten morally succumbs to the flood of offers in a world plagued with hucksterism, vices, drugs, doping and consumerism, where our homeland shines like an example that is hard to imitate." For more on this story, read The Miami Herald.
Fidel still is the sage concience of Cuba. I agree with him 100% on this issue.
Posted by: Roger Wyatt | July 17, 2008 at 01:49 AM
Why not poste the actual text of Fidel Castro's comments so readers can judge them for themselves?
Here they are:
Reflections by comrade Fidel
THE OLYMPIC BASEBALL TEAM
The fanatics were upset due to the hard setback on Sunday. But the word says it all: fa-nat-ics!
They forget that our team is now in South Korea, a country where we do not even have an embassy. There, our athletes continue to train.
Anyway, they are not the ones who deserve the strongest criticisms. They will be taking part in the Olympic Games that will be held on the other side of the world, where sleeping hours and life pace are different. They have an intense program of physical training with a view to the last presentation of this sport at the Olympics, as determined by the rich and powerful masters of such games. They have not been defeated. Let’s not discourage them. Let’s send them a message of encouragement.
Why don’t we wait until the conclusion of the Olympiads to engage in a full and truly democratic discussion on the responsibility of everyone involved in Cuban sports?
We dazzle our people with descriptions of sport successes and promises but then we don’t even dare publish the names of those who betray their homeland and sell off to the enemy. Our bureaucratic style in the education of our sportspeople seems to run high on science and low on conscience, even though sports are socially vital and our objective should not be glory or gold medals but our people’s physical and mental health. How it hurts when some of them sustain injuries related to sport drills or accidents, as in the case of Pedro Pablo Perez! The painful accident that keeps him on the verge of death is also impacting on a great Olympic promise, his companion Yoanka Gonzalez.
Let’s not forget Ana Fidelia’s exploits.
Despite adverse circumstances, our athletes shine for their human and patriotic virtues. Not even one out of ten morally yields to the torrent of offers they receive from a world full of greediness, vices, drugs, doping and consumerism, one where our homeland shines as an example hard to imitate.
We should never allow the traitors to come visit the country showing off the luxury obtained through infamy. Let’s blame ourselves for that.
Fidel Castro Ruz
July 16, 2008
4:21 p.m.
Posted by: Walter Lippmann | July 17, 2008 at 12:05 PM
Why not post the actual text of Fidel Castro's comments so readers can judge them for themselves?
Here they are:
Reflections by comrade Fidel
THE OLYMPIC BASEBALL TEAM
The fanatics were upset due to the hard setback on Sunday. But the word says it all: fa-nat-ics!
They forget that our team is now in South Korea, a country where we do not even have an embassy. There, our athletes continue to train.
Anyway, they are not the ones who deserve the strongest criticisms. They will be taking part in the Olympic Games that will be held on the other side of the world, where sleeping hours and life pace are different. They have an intense program of physical training with a view to the last presentation of this sport at the Olympics, as determined by the rich and powerful masters of such games. They have not been defeated. Let’s not discourage them. Let’s send them a message of encouragement.
Why don’t we wait until the conclusion of the Olympiads to engage in a full and truly democratic discussion on the responsibility of everyone involved in Cuban sports?
We dazzle our people with descriptions of sport successes and promises but then we don’t even dare publish the names of those who betray their homeland and sell off to the enemy. Our bureaucratic style in the education of our sportspeople seems to run high on science and low on conscience, even though sports are socially vital and our objective should not be glory or gold medals but our people’s physical and mental health. How it hurts when some of them sustain injuries related to sport drills or accidents, as in the case of Pedro Pablo Perez! The painful accident that keeps him on the verge of death is also impacting on a great Olympic promise, his companion Yoanka Gonzalez.
Let’s not forget Ana Fidelia’s exploits.
Despite adverse circumstances, our athletes shine for their human and patriotic virtues. Not even one out of ten morally yields to the torrent of offers they receive from a world full of greediness, vices, drugs, doping and consumerism, one where our homeland shines as an example hard to imitate.
We should never allow the traitors to come visit the country showing off the luxury obtained through infamy. Let’s blame ourselves for that.
Fidel Castro Ruz
July 16, 2008
4:21 p.m.
Posted by: Walter Lippmann | July 17, 2008 at 12:05 PM