The "joy" of the Cuban delegation as they waited to parade along the Seine during the opening of the Olympics.

The atmosphere among the Cuban delegation in the moments leading up to the parade along the Seine this Friday during the inauguration of the Olympics was one of demotivation and lack of joy, despite an official publication on social media attempting to present the opposite.

A video published on TikTok by the profile "Cubanos en UK" tried to project an opposing image, an effort that was contradicted by dozens of commenters who saw no joy anywhere.

"Joy on the boat 21 that will parade along the Seine River. They tell me #Cuba in #Paris2024. Our flag with the lone star will be carried by Idalys Ortiz and Julio C. La Cruz," detailed the official publication along with a video of just over 30 seconds.

In the images, the flag bearers -Idalys Ortiz and Julio César La Cruz- can be seen standing, trying to cheer on the group while in the background, the song "Me dicen Cuba" by Alexander Abreu was playing, which some were chanting half-heartedly, the same lack of enthusiasm with which they waved a little flag in front of several individuals who did not look like athletes at all.

Several internet users agreed that the first row was that of the "chivatones," those in charge of taking the passports and ensuring that the athletes do not escape.

"The first row represents cholesterol," joked a netizen in reference to the not-so-sporty image of those who were clearly the "sure ones" of the group.

"'Joy' would not be the right word"; "They are obstinate"; "Some are thinking about how to escape… Good luck, guys"; "I don't know if I'm seeing things wrong, but there is a lack of joy in the team. It's very sad"; "Everyone is thinking about how they can avoid returning to the dictatorship"; "What tremendous joy, yes, my grandmother's wake was more lively," were some of the opinions, completely distant from the triumphalist tone of the original publication.

In some of the photos that have circulated the most in recent hours in Cuban sports media, the most lively seem to be precisely in several cases those who do not have much of a resemblance to active athletes.

The Cuban delegation at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games consists of a total of 61 athletes, a number that represents one of the smallest delegations in the recent history of Cuban Olympic participation.

Among the sports represented by Cuba are athletics, boxing, canoeing, cycling, diving, judo, weightlifting, wrestling, swimming, pentathlon, taekwondo, table tennis, archery, shooting, and beach volleyball.

The delegation suffered its first defection when the Games had not yet been inaugurated. Judoka Dayle Ojeda, representing the +78 kg category in the national team that would participate in the Paris Olympic Games, left the delegation days before the major sporting event began.