Cuban Officials Stunned by Desertions

AP via SFGate ^ | 3/13/8 | ANNE-MARIE GARCIA, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

Cuban sports officials were stunned Thursday by the desertions of up to seven soccer players in Florida. Still, the under-23 team will play on.

The Cuban team will play Honduras on Thursday night in Tampa, Fla. It's Cuba's second game in a qualifying tournament for the Beijing Olympics, sponsored by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, or CONCACAF.

The Cuban delegation notified CONCACAF on Thursday that the team will continue to participate, CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer said in a statement.

The players, who had not yet reported to authorities, went missing after Cuba tied the United States 1-1 Tuesday.

"CONCACAF has been notified by the head of the Cuban delegation that several players have left the team," Blazer said. "CONCACAF has no information on the location of the players or the circumstances surrounding their separation from the delegation."

Cuban sports officials and CONCACAF have not identified the missing players. Missing from Wednesday's practice were: Jose Manuel Miranda, 21; Erlys Garcia Baro, Yenier Bermudez, Yordany Alvarez and Loanni Prieto, all 22.

"We feel really badly," Antonio Garces of the Cuban Soccer Association told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

[SmithL]

Escape from Paradise?

[dfwgator]

I’m stunned too. I mean who would walk away from free health care?

[1rudeboy]

You know this wouldn’t happen if the Cubans had free health care, and the best system to deliver it in the world . . . wait a minute.

[CarryingOn]

Al Jazeera’s got some ‘splainin to do.

[brownsfan]

“I’m stunned too. I mean who would walk away from free health care?”

My first thought as well. Can someone get a comment from Micheal Moron?

[TruthWillWin]

But didn’t Castro give everyone a free rice cooker?

[lormand]

I guess those deserting Cubans will not be shopping at Che-Mart.

[Old Grumpy]

Raul will not be pleased.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Or eBay of Pigs.

[catbertz]

I'm shocked too lol

[David1]

But...but...what about the free everything in Cuba?

[ASA Vet]

But didn’t Castro give everyone a free rice cooker?

Yep, and a free beeper.

[BenLurkin]

Stunned that there weren’t more or stunned that these got away without being shot?

[WOBBLY BOB]

commie stuned beeber ping

[TruthWillWin]

A free beeper. Turn that boat around Juan!

[freedomlover]

Cuban Officials Stunned by Desertions

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Did they get tazed, Bro?

[MtnClimber]

I was thinking that if seven cubans left, it should make enough room for Michael Moore to move there!

[Normal4me]

I wonder if these are same seven guys I saw kicking a soccer ball down I-95 earlier? Naw.....couldn’t be.

[sticker]

they must have seen the pictures of beckham and victoria and think that all football players get that here.

[FormerACLUmember]

Cuba is such a fecal smelling oppressive human hellhole of ruins, it is astonishing that anybody even remains on the team. The last few team members must have 5 guards each, threatening harm to their families if they run. The problem of course is that the guards also run.