June 3, 2025 — Belly of the Beast
Cuba’s national men’s basketball team was supposed to play their final game of the FIBA AmeriCup qualifiers last February in Puerto Rico. But the players never made the flight. Cuba had to forfeit the match when nearly all its players as well as the coaches and support staff were denied U.S. visas to attend the game.
Hear from the players themselves in our report HERE.
Cuban basketball players have been denied visas in the past, but Cuba’s Basketball Federation says this is the first time this has happened on this scale. Only two players – both living outside the island – were granted visas.
“We’re traveling as players, not tourists,” said Arle Zaporta, the team’s center. “Sports are sports. We just want to play.”
This March, 14 Cuban athletes were denied visas to participate in the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship in Gainesville, Florida.
Cuba’s Olympic Committee denounced last week that Cuban sports officials had also been denied visas this year.
The trend is concerning for Cuban athletes as they begin qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“Our teams will always be in [regional] groups with countries that require a visa, like Puerto Rico and the U.S.,” said Dalia Henry, president of Cuba’s Basketball Federation. “There has to be a way for us to be allowed to…participate and qualify in the same way as everyone else.”
TRANSCRIPT
Cuba’s men’s national basketball team was supposed to play in February in the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers in Puerto Rico. But the team never got on the plane. Cuba was disqualified as a no-show after the U.S. denied visas to every Cuban player on the island.
“Our goal was to qualify for the AmeriCup and we were just one step away,” says Arle Zaporta, Center for the Cuban National Basketball Team.
“Finding out we weren’t going to Puerto Rico was a tremendous blow to our morale,” says Michel Espinosa, Forward for the Cuban National Basketball Team.
“It’s the first time a Cuban basketball team is denied U.S. visas. Only two of our players, who live abroad, received the visa. The rest of the players here in Cuba didn’t get the visa,” says Dalia Henry, President of the Cuban Basketball Federation.
“It made me sad because it was a big opportunity for me and the team,” adds Arle Zaporta.
“It was an awful shock because we had our hopes set on being in the AmeriCup,” adds Michel Espinosa.
“It made the players lose confidence and affected them mentally,” says Ariel Ferrán, Point Guard for the Cuban National Basketball Team.
“We had to fight hard to get to that point. And we were not eliminated because we played poorly, but because of visas,” says Michel Espinosa.
“We know there was a change of government in the U.S., but if we played last year in Orlando, how can we now be denied visas to play in Puerto Rico?,” says Osmel Planas, Head Coach of the Cuban National Basketball Team.
Cuban athletes are often denied U.S. visas. Cuban sports officials say this is the first time it has happened to so many players.
“We’ve previously had issues getting the whole team to a tournament,” adds Dalia Henry.
“We need a visa for the U.S. and Puerto Rico. We travel with an official passport, which doesn’t require a visa for most countries,” says Michel Espinosa.
“This is the second time I’m denied a U.S. visa. It’s unfair that a Cuban team can’t participate because of political reasons,” says Arle Zaporta.
“U.S. policy toward Cuba will become harsher. It will continue to limit Cuban sports and Cuban athletes who are training despite the economic hurdles our country faces right now,” adds Dalia Henry.
“It’s hard to convince our athletes to train daily when we have limitations in transportation, food and equipment. It’s not easy. We have no privileges. Our only privilege is to keep working, getting better and getting results,” adds Osmel Planas.
“Every player is proud to represent their country and we know it’s a long road. We need to be disciplined and focus on our goals,” says Michel Espinosa.
“We work hard. With love and sacrifice. We give everything we have in every training session and every game,” says Arle Zaporta.
The 2028 Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles
“This is a big concern for Cuba’s sports authorities. Our teams will always be in [regional] groups with countries that require a visa, like the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. There has to be a way for us to be allowed to have the same rights as other federations, to be able to participate and qualify in the same way as everyone else,” adds Dalia Henry.
“We’re traveling as players, not tourists. Sports are sports. We just want to play.
This shouldn’t happen to any country in any sport,” says Arle Zaporta.
