Tag Archives: Osvaldo Alonso

Yosmel de Armas and the Problem of Cuban Player Defections

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Yosmel de Armas competing against Honduras in the 2012 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament

At some point between the Cuban u23 team’s game against Honduras on Saturday and when the team loaded onto the bus from the hotel for the match against Canada on Monday, Yosmel de Armas fled the team hotel.

The 22 year old defender who played for La Habana back in Cuba is the latest in an extensive series of athletes who defect during tournaments in the United States.  A majority of these cases are baseball players, boxers, and soccer players.

“The player that’s not here today is feeling very sick. He left yesterday in practice. He injured his ankle, so he was in the hotel. Something else happened. He doesn’t really know,” a translator said for Cuba coach Raul Triana Gonzalez about de Armas being listed as “Not present” for the match against Canada. Continue reading →

Opening Up Cuba

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The Cuban National Assembly recently approved a package of reforms to reshape emigration and economic policies.  A million government workers will be laid off, while average Cubans will now have the chance to start and operate their own small businesses.  In addition, the government will initiate an overhaul of the restrictions on travel off of the island.  Raul Castro has said that he wants to modernize the country and establish ties to Cuban communities living elsewhere.  All of this is good, but what does it have to do with soccer? Continue reading →