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Luisvany Meneses Hernández was appointed last Thursday as the new director of the Sancti Spíritus team for the 64th National Series following the violent incident that led to Eriel Sánchez's suspension.
Pavel Reyes, acting provincial commissioner of Baseball, told the local state media that the decision was made in conjunction with the Sports Directorate in the area, after several proposals were evaluated.
Meneses Hernández has a background as a director of youth teams from the province of Sancti Spíritus, and under his leadership, teams from that central region have achieved silver and bronze medals in the Youth category, bronze in the U-15 category, and gold and silver with the U-11/12 in national tournaments.
Additionally, the new director has been part of management teams for Cuba at various international events, such as the Pan American Under-15 and Youth Championships, Criollitos in Venezuela, and an invitational tournament in Chinese Taipei.
Eriel Sánchez's violence scandal
The director from Sancti Spíritus, Eriel Sánchez León, announced this week his definitive retirement from Cuban baseball, beyond the five-year sanction imposed by the National Baseball Commission (CNB), following a violent fight that took place on September 27 at the José Antonio Huelga stadium in Sancti Spíritus.
The news has shaken the national sports community, especially due to the direct statement from Sánchez himself, who had been leading the Gallos team in the current 64th National Series.
"I will never lead again, not even after five years," he stated in an audio shared by the local media Escambray.
"I feel so saddened and embarrassed that, even if I am not sanctioned, I will no longer direct. I am resigning, not out of cowardice, because I am not someone who gives up on work or other things, but I do resign from the possibility of losing a reputation that I worked very hard for," he added.
"And I am taking on something that isn't mine to bear. I am not that person they talk about on social media. And for that reason, I resign. Because the few who still have something of my reputation left would like to keep it," he concluded.
The sanctions: five years for Eriel Sánchez and three for Miguel Rojas
The National Baseball Commission announced last week the suspension of Sánchez's competitive system for five years, and of Eusebio Miguel Rojas Rodríguez, the technical commissioner involved in the incident, for a period of three years.
Both sanctions are based on the classification of "very serious indiscipline," as defined in Article 17, section c, of the Disciplinary Regulations of the competitive baseball system in Cuba, and sanctioned in accordance with Article 20, section l of the same document.
According to the CNB, the incident began when the management of the team from Sancti Spíritus protested a controversial play during the match against Isla de la Juventud.
Although the team won the match, the complaint led to a heated argument between Eriel Sánchez and the technical commissioner, which escalated into a physical confrontation outside the field.
In its statement, the Commission classified what occurred as "a completely avoidable episode, the result of the irresponsible actions of its protagonists and unrelated to the essence and values of the Cuban sports system."
Miguel Rojas: "I was the one who was attacked."
For his part, Eusebio Miguel Rojas, the technical commissioner suspended for three years, expressed his disagreement with the decision and claimed to have been a victim of the aggression.
As established by the regulations, both Rojas and Sánchez will exercise their right to file a claim.
Eriel Sánchez's statement: "I do not justify wrongdoing, but I ask that my truth be heard."
In a previous interview with Escambray, Sánchez provided his account of the events. He stated that everything began after a controversial play in the eighth inning, when the umpire initially validated a run and then changed the score.
Although the result favored Sancti Spíritus, the coach decided to reprimand Rojas for what he considered a biased attitude.
The verbal exchange escalated, and according to Sánchez's account, it was the commissioner who challenged him to fight.
"About 30 minutes later, Rojas burst into my office, slapped me, and I reacted. There was a struggle, and he hit himself against a table. I used a stick to defend myself, but it wasn't a bat, as they say on social media," he stated.
Although he acknowledges his responsibility, he denies having attempted to deliberately harm Rojas.
“I have never in my life been capable of trying to harm a person's health,” he emphasized, while requesting that the facts be evaluated objectively and not as a public reprimand.
Frequently asked questions about the incident involving Eriel Sánchez and the management of the Sancti Spíritus team
Why was Eriel Sánchez dismissed as the director of the Sancti Spíritus team?
Eriel Sánchez was dismissed due to his involvement in a violent altercation with technical commissioner Miguel Rojas. This incident occurred following a National Series game, which led the National Baseball Commission to impose a five-year suspension from the competitive system.
Who is the new director of the Sancti Spíritus team?
Luisvany Meneses Hernández has been appointed as the new director of the Sancti Spíritus team for the 64th National Series. Meneses has experience managing teams in lower categories, having achieved significant success in national and international tournaments.
What was the reason behind the altercation between Eriel Sánchez and Miguel Rojas?
The confrontation began after a controversial play during a match between Sancti Spíritus and Isla de la Juventud. The argument escalated to physical violence off the field when, according to Sánchez, Rojas confronted him in his office, resulting in a struggle and an assault that involved a wooden object.
What sanctions did the National Baseball Commission impose on those involved in the incident?
Eriel Sánchez was sanctioned with a five-year suspension from the competitive baseball system, while Miguel Rojas received a three-year sanction. These penalties were imposed due to the classification of the incident as "very serious indiscipline" according to the Disciplinary Regulations.
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