(30 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Havana, Cuba – 30 June 2025
1. Cuban volleyball team players training
2. Cuban volleyball player Laura Suárez throwing ball
3. Various of training
4. Players on court speaking
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Laura Suárez, Cuban volleyball player:
“The disappointment is huge because I train every day, every hour of training is leading up to this and I dedicate myself to it. It’s really disappointing not to be able to participate in the competition which is what I’ve been preparing for."
6. Cuban volleyball player, Dayana Martinez, on court greeting teammate
7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Dayana Martínez, Cuban volleyball player:
"We trained a lot in the morning and afternoon; we were already focused on the competition because it’s right there. Arriving at the embassy and being denied the visa affects us a lot because that competition gives us points to improve our ranking. It’s something that really impacts us in every way during our preparation.”
8. Cuban volleyball coach, Wilfredo Robinson, and President of the Cuban Volleyball Federation, Osvaldo Idel Martínez, talking during training
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Wilfredo Robinson, Coach of Volleyball:
"This competition consists of four matches and you earn (Volleyball Nations League) points whether you win or lose. If, at the end of the competition, you have 40 points, we add them up. In September, when we play the final competition, if we need to reach 80 or 100 points, it will be impossible to do so and we won’t be able to qualify for the VNL because this competition impacts us."
10. Robinson and Martínez talking
11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Osvaldo Idel Martínez, President of the Cuban Volleyball Federation:
“We were always in contact with the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation and the general office of NORCECA (Volleyball Confederation). They consistently supported us and we even have documents with collaboration requests that both institutions submitted to the Puerto Rican and U.S. State Departments to secure the necessary visas for our participation. In other words, they made every effort possible for our delegation to take part in the event."
12. Various of training
STORYLINE:
The Cuban Women ‘s national volleyball team has become yet another victim of the new visa restrictions imposed by the Trump administration.
The Cuban Volleyball Federation said last week that its team of 12 athletes, a referee and several coaches, had their visa request rejected and will not be able to attend a tournament being held in Puerto Rico from July 16 to 21.
“We trained a lot in the morning and afternoon; we were already focused on the competition because it’s right there," said Dayana Martínez, a middle-blocker on the team.
"Arriving at the embassy and being denied the visa affects us a lot because that competition gives us points to improve our ranking."
The United States added Cuba to a list of 12 countries with restrictions to enter the US or its territories that went into effect in early June.
It also applies to nationals from Afghanistan, the Republic of Congo, Iran, Venezuela, and other nations.
The “Final Four” tournament of the Confederation of North, Central American, and Caribbean Volleyball is part of the qualification path for Central American and Caribbean Games in 2026 and for the World Volleyball Championships.
Wilfredo Robinson, a coach for the Cuban Women’s Volleyball national team, warned that if they miss out on points from the tournament they may fall short of the total needed to qualify for other competitions.
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