In spite of everything

The sixth reflection on the Pan American Games

Reflections by Cuban President Fidel Castro

DO you think that you merely enjoy the Pan American Games? Think again, and you will realize that no matter your age, you run, jump, put the shots, throw javelins, discuses and hammers; soar above hurdles and tracks, relay batons, spike balls, score a basket, row, execute ippons, turn your rival over, follow strategies, splash water over yourself after running for two hours and even stop taking in the oxygen that your lungs are demanding. What a wonderful show the athletes put on for us!

The revolting commercialization of athletes

The fifth reflection on the Pan American Games

Reflections by Cuban President Fidel Castro

WHAT, from the technological and economic points of view, has been the worst problem faced by poor countries? The brain drain.

What has been their worst problem in patriotic and educational terms? Talent theft.

In poor countries, local newspapers and honest individuals who are interested in sports begin to ask themselves why they must endure the theft of their nation’s talented athletes, after the many sacrifices and investments it took to train them.

Is Brazil the United States’ substitute?

The Fourth Reflection on the Pan American Games

Reflections by Cuban President Fidel Castro

A SHORT while ago I was saying about the brain drain that is disgusting.

A bit later, a good offensive player on the Cuban handball team showed up wearing the uniform of a professional Sao Paulo team.

Betrayal for money is one of the favorite weapons the United States uses to destroy Cuba’s resistance.

Third reflection on the Pan American Games

By Cuban President Fidel Castro

I DO not have much material to write, nor do I have the time.

The Cuba-United States baseball match has been announced for 8:00 a.m. At that time I am sometimes in dreamland. The weather prevented the game from taking place. I think that the celebrated match will begin on Friday at 8 a.m., if the weather doesn’t force a change. Our athletes are ready to compete even in the mud; but that is not the case with their adversaries who would prefer to share first place. We shall see what happens.

The brain drain

Second Reflection on the Pan American Games

Reflections by Cuban President Fidel Castro

I MENTIONED something and included a quotation on this topic for an example I used in my last reflection, titled “Bush, Health and Education,” which I dedicated to children. In this reflection, aimed at the first class to graduate from the University of Information Sciences (UCI), I shall delve more deeply into this thorny issue.

NFL requires photographers to ‘become walking billboards’

At the Nagano Winter Olympics in 1998, NBC-TV required its broadcasters to wear blazers inscribed with the Nike logo. Now, a new NFL vest rule (with corporate sponsor logos) has some American media finally seeing red. Working press members are to be used as advertising vehicles and become “become walking billboards.” Meanwhile, the U.S. media and sports monopolies fight over corporate “rights” to images from sporting events. Two articles.

First reflection on the Pan American Games

Reflections by Cuban President Fidel Castro

AREN’T YOU watching the Pan-American Games? I think I hear many Cubans asking. Of course I am! I answer; I can hardly get my eyes off the TV set. Sometimes I forget about the time when I should take some meal or pill. And then I complain because no one dared to pull me away from a baseball inning when the game was quite even, Mayeta was batting, two men were on base, and there was one out.

Sports agent gets prison for smuggling Cubans

By LAURA MYERS

KEY WEST, Florida (Reuters) – A federal judge sentenced U.S. sports agent Gustavo “Gus” Dominguez to five years in prison on Monday for smuggling potential major-league baseball players out of Cuba.

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore ordered the prison term for Dominguez, the 48-year-old co-founder of California-based Total Sports International Inc.

Dominguez, who has represented dozens of Cuban defectors and other major league players, was convicted in April of smuggling five prospects out of Cuba to the Florida Keys and then on to California, where he shopped them to potential teams.