Cuba is in the middle of a severe economic crisis. This led to the escape of several top athletes. Now another case has appeared.
Cuban boxing star Andy Cruz did not show up for Monday’s national championships and may have fled the island. This is reported by the AFP news agency.
The lightweight Olympic champion from Tokyo and three-time world champion have been missing in the last few days of training, Cuba’s boxing president Alberto Puig has confirmed.
Boxers in the socialist country are forbidden to switch to professional status. That’s why stars regularly evade the regime in order to fight for bonuses on the other side of the Caribbean.
Several athletes have already fled
For months, Cuba has been experiencing the worst economic crisis in decades, which is driving many people to flee. The background to the crisis is the consequences of the corona pandemic and tightening of US sanctions against the communist-ruled country.
Several athletes have already fled Cuba in recent months. Among others, Ismael Borrero, Olympic wrestling champion in 2016, and Fernando Dayán Jorge, Olympic canoe champion at the 2021 Tokyo Games had left the country.