The Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) attacked the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (FEPCUBE), which he described as "illegitimate" for "usurping" his functions.
"The Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) categorically rejects the attempt by the self-proclaimed Cuban Professional Baseball Federation (FEBCUBE), to usurp functions only assigned to our institution," the official entity began by saying, which throughout the document changed the acronym of FEPCUBE to FEBCUBE.
"In addition to lacking legitimacy, in accordance with the internationally established sports standards to represent Cuba in any sporting event, the FEBCUBE, created in the United States, disrespects the most basic precepts of sport by associating and committing to a campaign linked to the organization, financing and promotion of violent acts against institutions and legality in Cuba for destabilization purposes," added the Cuban Federation.
The FCB also said that The team's purposes "transcend sports."
"They are political and commercial, and their projection places them on the side of those who contributed to the invalidation of the FCB-MLB agreement, those who criticized the inclusion of players from that circuit in the team that represented us in the V World Classic and those who applauded and encouraged the attacks that our delegation suffered in US territory," the publication underlines.
In the final segment of his complaint - which was reproduced by the sports portal JIT- The Cuban Federation urged sports organizations to refrain from collaborating with what it called "the achievement of such illegitimate and ignoble purposes."
It is curious that the FCB failed to refer in its statement to the motto "Homeland and Life", chosen by the exile entity to name its team.
At the beginning of this month, the Cuban Professional Baseball Federation announced that its team - made up of Cuban baseball players based in the US and the rest of the world - would have in its name the phrase "Patria y Vida", become a symbol for the freedom of Cuba.
The announcement was made by Mandy Llanes Jr, president of FEPCUBE, who explained that those two words - which will appear on the players' uniforms - symbolize the desire for freedom and democracy that Cubans share and that they represent the team's commitment to a Free Cuba.
The Cuban Professional Baseball Federation team will participate between January 25 and February 1, 2024 in the next Intercontinental Baseball Series in Colombia and It already has a management team with experience at the Major League level.
The Cuban team that will travel to Barranquilla will be managed by Brayan Peña and will have Euclides Rojas (bench coach); Bárbaro Garbey (3B coach); Jorge Luis Toca (1B coach) and Michael Tejera (pitching coach).
There will also be José Ariel Contreras (pitching coach); José “Nachi” Castro (hitting coach) and Yuniesky Gurriel (hitting coach). Orlando "El Duque" Hernández joins the list, who was announced as general manager.
Although some Major League stars will not be able to join the team due to prior commitments, Brayan Peña already has the support of several players, including Aroldis Chapman.
The team's participation in the Intercontinental Baseball Series - formerly the Latin American Series - has generated expectations as it is the first time that a team without ties to the state-run Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB) participates in an international tournament.
Teams from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Mexico and Colombia, the host country, are expected to participate in the Intercontinental Series.
The Latin American Baseball Series emerged in 2012 and the first edition was held in 2013. The founders were Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama. In none of the previous editions did a Cuban team participate, so the FEPCUBE team will be the first to represent the island in the contest. The event was last held in 2019.
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