Puerto Rican's disagree with U.S Treasury Dept's exclusion of Cuba from tournament

[Waneko]

Puerto Rico: We won't host Classic


BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Puerto Rican officials, upset with Cuba's exclusion from the World Baseball Classic, have asked out of serving as a host for the March tournament.

The San Juan-based newspaper Primera Hora obtained a letter from Puerto Rico federation president Israel Roldán to Aldo Notari, president of the International Baseball Federation. The Spanish-language letter states: "It's my duty to inform you that Puerto Rico withdraws its availability to serve as host and headquarters of the World Baseball Classic in the year 2006. The reason for this decision is that the Treasury Department of the United States government has announced that it will deny the corresponding permission in violation of the Olympic regulations guaranteeing Cuba's participation in the aforementioned event."

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control informed MLB officials Dec. 13 that Cuban athletes would not be granted visas to participate, startling event organizers. MLB officials have been working to reverse the government decision and MLB and the Players Association reapplied yesterday for a new permit. The revised application attempts to address U.S. government concerns about compensation for the Cubans for participating.

U.S. Olympic officials also have voiced concern about the government decision because excluding countries in violation of the Olympic guidelines could negatively affect the country's ability to land future Games.

Within hours of MLB reapplying for the new permit, the Cuban government said in Havana that it would donate any money received at the tournament to U.S. hurricane victims.

"Although we have never competed for money, in order to offer options the Cuban Baseball Federation would be willing for the money associated with participation in the classic to go to those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans," a statement read on Cuban government television said.

As for the Puerto Rican federation's decision not to host, Roldán indicated his nation would continue to participate if the site is relocated.

"If they tell me they are going to do the event in another country, then we will go, because we are no longer the host, and to us they are simply inviting us," he said. "I am discharging my responsibility as president of the host-country federation. What bothers and aggravates me is the insult that they told me (initially that) Cuba will be invited."

San Juan is slated to host first- and second-round games during the March 3-20 event. The Puerto Rican team, which is expected to train in Port St. Lucie, is scheduled for an opening-round pool in San Juan that includes Panama, the Netherlands and the currently barred Cuban team.

Organizers are prepared to substitute another country, likely Colombia or Nicaragua, if the Cuba ban stands. Assembling a team of Cuban defectors, which might include former Yankees Jose Contreras and Orlando Hernandez, isn't acceptable because the World Baseball Classic is sanctioned by baseball's international governing body, so teams need to be sponsored by governments and can't be formed by MLB, according to a source familiar with the event's organization.

"We haven't received anything from the (Puerto Rican) federation with regards to this situation," MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said. "They haven't contacted us directly. But we will continue to be in communication with them to address their concerns."

NY Daily News

Interesting stuff. I'm sure many will use this as an excuse to call Puerto Ricans un-American despite the fact that the U.S. government is dead wrong in this case.