Entire delegations have been unable to attend competitions or even technical meetings that are part of the path to the summer event that will be held in Los Angeles.
This is why the “Let Them Play” international campaign was launched to defend the right of Cuban athletes to compete, develop, and represent their country on equal terms.
Yasser Ibarra, First Secretary of the Cuban Embassy in Washington, said, “When a country denies an athlete the fundamental right to compete, it not only disrupts the sporting calendar; it also harms careers, individual efforts, collective dreams, and the possibility of representing an entire nation with dignity.”
These obstacles are part of a broader policy of pressure and hostility that also shows itself in sports, another expression of the pressure exerted on the Cuban people, Ibarra added during a virtual meeting; this first international gathering not only included activists from the United States but also from Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Canada.
The diplomat emphasized that this new campaign is so important. “Let Them Play” is not a slogan; it is a fundamental call for justice.
The Hands Off Cuba Committee in Los Angeles, which is leading the initiative, proposes sending messages to the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and securing the support of public figures, celebrities, and sports figures for this campaign, among other actions.
The campaign has in the United States the support of, among others, the National Network on Cuba, a coalition of more than 60 organizations.
