2024-07-23 13:21:53
In May 2024, the international press reported on the formation of the Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which included two athletes from Cuba without protection.
The EOR was publicly presented as a group of young athletes “uprooted by war or persecution.”
Since that moment, in a serious and respectful way, we have been in communication with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), so that this unfortunate situation could be clarified, taking into account The IOC directors recognize that none of these Cuban athletes have been uprooted by war or persecuted.
The decision to include Cuban athletes in the EOR was taken without the support of the Cuban Olympic Committee and with the clear purpose of attacking the image of the national sports movement, which has brought so much glory to our people.
We make it clear to the IOC that the COC supports the idea with which the EOR was originally conceived in 2015; Just as we had nothing against Cuban athletes, neither do we have anything against many other Cuban athletes and coaches who live or develop their sports careers in other countries.
In this context, and encouraged to find a constructive solution, we officially inform the IOC that we as the National Olympic Committee are willing to allow the participation of these athletes in the Olympic Games, representing the countries in which they live, and which they sometimes represented. in international competitions.
Unfortunately, one of the two athletes now included has made disrespectful and false political statements against his country, his people and the sports movement that allowed him to become Olympic champion in Tokyo 2020.
This confirms Cuba’s concerns regarding the real political motivation for the inclusion of athletes of Cuban origin in the EOR, although IOC officials have confirmed that the aforementioned athletes would not make statements of this nature.
The above is a violation of the Olympic Charter and the rules established by the IOC for all athletes participating in the Olympic Games.
Due to this reality, and considering that the IOC has not commented on our latest communication in this regard, it is the duty of the COC to report this case publicly and demand an immediate expulsion the aforementioned athlete from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in accordance with the rules governing the International Olympic Movement.
The COC reiterates its strongest rejection regarding the inclusion of Cuban athletes in the EOR, as part of the political manipulation of sport.
The Cuban Sports Movement demands that the IOC fulfill its responsibilities in enforcing the Olympic principles.
CUBAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
Paris, July 23, 2024
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