The United States has denied the Visa for a tournament in Puerto Rico to the Cuban volleyball players. Under the government of Donald Trump, there is an impact on qualifications for Olympia 2028.
The volleyball association for North and Central America (Norceca) and the states of the Caribbean promises volleyball at the highest level for the “Final Four” of women, which is important for the qualification for the worldwide nations League.
The tournament was awarded to Puerto Rico. The island state in the Caribbean is not a state of the United States, but “incorporated”. Puerto Rico is the outside area of the United States, the residents are American citizens, and the United States determines who can travel to Puerto Rico.
Cuba’s residents have not been allowed to do this since the beginning of June, Because US President Donald Trump issued a decree. Cuba is “Sponsor of Terrorism” it says in the enactment to the reason. In addition, the authoritarian socialist regime has since “always refused to withdraw his national citizens’.”
Athletes are expressly excluded from the ban on entry, which is complete for twelve countries and seven (including Cuba). However, this only applies to “Major Sporting Events”i.e. major events such as the currently held club World Cup for soccer players, the World Cup for the national national teams of footballers in the coming year and also for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
US message in Havana refuses Visa
The Norceca final is therefore not a “Major Sporting Event”, and so the Association of the Final Four would have to make a final Three or nominate a team.
The Visa in the US message of Havana has been denied the Cuban delegation. This is reported by the American news agency AP, which also spoke to those affected during a training of the Cuban volleyball players.
“The disappointment is huge because I train every day. Every hour of it serves to prepare for this competition”said player Laura Suarez.
Trainer Robinson: “… then we won’t make it”
Trainer Wilfredo Robinson believes that the qualification for the Nations League is no longer possible through the refused visas: “We have another tournament in September, and if we are forced to achieve 80 or 100 points, we will not do that.”
At the tournament in Manati on Puerto Rico with games against the hosts, Mexico and Costa Rica, there would have been a chance for the once great volleyball nation Kuba to improve the starting position.
US message: Visa refusal serve “securing the limits”
“To appear in the message and to be refused to get the visa, meet us hard because we could have improved in the ranking”said with Dayana Martinez another international to AP.
The news agency received the answer to the US embassy in Cuba that for data protection reasons, it should not be received in specific cases, but the guidelines generally “Securing the limits and the protection of American municipalities and citizens” have been implemented.
Cuba’s Foreign Minister: “Racist and xenophobic “
Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla wrote on Instagram: “The refusal of Visa (…) by the US government (…) is part of the racist and xenophobic list of visa restrictions”.
According to media reports, the plans of the Administration Trump, the entry ban could be expanded by 36 other countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and Syria.
Qualifications also “Major Sporting Events” for Olympics?
The entry bans already have an impact for the fans of teams and individual athletes from the affected countries. In this way, Iraner, which is already qualified for 2026 soccer World Cup, will not be able to support in the current situation. The exception to “Major Sporting Events” applies to the team itself.
This includes Olympia 2028, however, it is questionable whether possible qualification tournaments in the USA are also classified as major events for the games in Los Angeles. Such tournaments are likely to be in various sports.
Vice -world champion A lot of money may lose in table tennis
Table tennis professional Hugo Calderano experienced that the tightened entry policy of the US government may also have significant financial effects.
The vice world champion, under the end of the past season with the master and cup winner TTF Ochsenhausen, wanted to take part in the “Us Grand Smash” tournament, which was endowed with $ 1.55 million, in Las Vegas, which will still run until July 13th.
Grand Smash in Las Vegas without him: Hugo Calderano
As a native Brazilian, who also has the Portuguese passport, he had applied for the visa -free entry via the ESTA electronic approval system. However, he overlooked the fact that everyone who was in Cuba after January 2021 has to give a visa. In 2023 Calderano played a qualification tournament for Olympia 2024 on the Caribbean island.
According to a report by the German Press Agency, the 29-year-old number three in the world rankings “Despite the involvement of the local table tennis association and the US Olympic Committee, no consulate date for an urgency visa” at short notice “ receive.
So the US Grand Smash started without a Calderano. If he had reached the semi -finals there – as in the 2024 Olympics – he had been referred to around 21,400 euros in prize money. In a tournament victory, it would have been almost 85,000 euros.