The Cuban long-distance runner Maher Salah Mahroos Diez won the National Athletics Championship of Cuba but did not receive any medal in recognition, a situation he himself described as unusual and publicly denounced on Instagram.
A national champion without a medal. A few days ago, I was running in the National Championship (Copa Cuba 2026). Many might think this is the pinnacle of a country, but it was all a fiasco, the athlete recounted in the recording.
Salah described the atmosphere inside the stadium as desolate, but there was something much worse.
The brands didn't matter because there was no light. Inside a stadium that felt like a funeral, the competitive spirit was at zero.
What outraged the runner the most was the complete lack of recognition for the sacrifice, not only his own but also that of his coach and his team. The Cuban government no longer rewards sports victories.
“After winning the famous National Athletics Championship, one of the most disappointing races for me, there wasn't even a medal to reward the effort that had been made.”
The athlete summed up his mood with a phrase that reflects the contradiction of being an athlete in Cuba today: “I was simply the national champion and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.”
In the video description, Salah was even more direct.
"More and more, the results are slipping away from us due to small situations that we cannot control. After long months of preparation, this is a disrespect to the sport and the sacrifice of all athletes."
The post generated a wave of solidarity among friends and followers. "Focus on improving your achievements, champ, not on the outside. Medals rust and get old; results last," wrote one user. Another commented: "The harsh reality, buddy. I understand you deeply."
A comment on the post added another troubling piece of information: the Memorial Barrientos, the most important international athletics competition held in Cuba, has reportedly been "suspended due to a lack of logistics," as noted by a follower amidst bitter laughter.
This is particularly significant because Salah had placed all his hopes in that meeting: "I have one last chance, at Memorial Barrientos, where I am going to give it my all, putting in all my effort and sacrifice to achieve my plan."
The 75th edition of the Memorial Barrientos was scheduled to take place from June 17 to 19 in Havana, although a possible cancellation due to logistical issues would fit the pattern of organizational shortcomings that the athlete himself has denounced.
Salah is one of the most recognized long-distance and middle-distance runners in Cuban athletics. In 2025, he was part of the winning mixed relay team at the Half Marathon celebrating the 64th anniversary of INDER and secured third place in the San Silvestre Race. In 2022, he represented Cuba at the Ibero-American Athletics Championship in the 1,500-meter event.
Cuban athletics is going through a period of structural difficulties that is also reflected on the international stage. In 2025, only three Cubans competed in the Indoor Athletics World Championships, a figure that illustrates the decline of high-performance sports on the Island.
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