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The technical commissioner Miguel Rojas Rodríguez was brutally beaten after a National Series match.
According to information circulated on social media and testimonials cited by the independent outlet Café Fuerte, the manager of the Sancti Spíritus team, Eriel Sánchez, allegedly assaulted technical commissioner Miguel Rojas Rodríguez with a bat after a National Series game held on Saturday at the "José Antonio Huelga" stadium.
"I spoke with Rojas today [Sunday], he was at home and is waiting for the certificate from the neurosurgeon and the orthopedic doctor who saw him at the hospital, and the police have been notified of what happened," a source connected to the baseball community in Sancti Spíritus, who requested to remain anonymous, told Café Fuerte.
Rojas was transferred to the Provincial Hospital "Camilo Cienfuegos," where he received five stitches. As of now, he shows no signs of cranial or cerebral damage, but he remains under observation.
Café Fuerte also reported that the source had assured them that Sánchez was temporarily suspended by the sports authorities and that the National Baseball Commission would have a period of 30 days to investigate the case and issue a resolution. However, to date, no official statement has been released by the CNB confirming these actions.
The complaint has sparked numerous reactions on social media, both from journalists and fans. Wilfredo Cancio Isla, through his Facebook profile, shared details of the incident, images of Rojas's injured face, and critical opinions about Sánchez's behavior, describing the events as an "unprecedented episode of antisporting violence."
The journalist Yasel Porto also spoke out from his page DPorto Sports LLC, where he described the incident as a serious act and shared a note from journalist Osniel Hernández, which states that this event “marks a turning point in how we are understanding and allowing discipline within our National Series.”
"A director who uses a blunt object to attack a game official is not exemplifying leadership or respect. He is sending the wrong message to his players and the fans," stated Hernández, as quoted by Porto.
Yasel Porto, for his part, stated that what happened justifies a permanent expulsion from Cuban baseball, and warned about the increasing risk of more serious incidents if decisive action is not taken.
"It cannot be lost like that, even if there was a provocation. If there was one... because it involves an older person, because it involves a dangerous object, because Rojas is also the game official, and to top it off, someone quite close," he said in a later post.
This is not, however, the only recent incident of violence in Cuban baseball. Last June, ten players were expelled following a mass brawl during a youth game between Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila, in the same José Antonio Huelga stadium.
In April 2024, a refereeing decision during a match between Cienfuegos and Camagüey resulted in a confrontation among players, coaches, and referees. There have also been reports of threats against officials, such as a referee who allegedly used a false name to protect his safety during a game in Pinar del Río, although the federation denied this account.
Miguel Rojas Rodríguez, 66 years old, is a respected figure in Spirituano baseball. He was part of the national championship team in 1979, played 18 seasons, and was a member of the Cuba team. After his retirement, he has been a coach, manager, and technical official.
Eriel Sánchez, 50 years old, has had a distinguished career as a catcher, being an Olympic champion in Athens 2004 and a runner-up in the World Baseball Classic in 2006. After retiring in 2019, he has managed the team from Sancti Spíritus and youth selections. This season, he returned to lead the Gallos.
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