Cuba flays IOC decision

Cuba flays IOC decision

Friday, February 10, 2006 (Havana):

Cuban officials decried the International Olympic Committee's decision
on Thursday to not restore baseball to the program for the 2012 Summer
Games in London.

"It's a strong blow not only for Cuba, but also for all of the countries
of Latin America, and Asia in particular," said Carlos Rodriguez,
president of the Cuban Baseball Federation.

The International Olympic Committee seven months ago removed baseball
and softball from the 2012 program and on Thursday rejected new pleas
from the two traditional American sports for reinstatement.

"Cuba isn't going to give up this decision for lost,'' Rodriguez said.
"The government and the people of the island will keep working for the
development of baseball.''

The two sports remain on the program for the 2008 Beijing Games, and can
apply for reinstatement in 2009 for the 2016 Olympics.

"They didn't take into account the millions of boys and young men around
the world who aspire to play in the Olympic Games,'' Rodriguez said.

Cuba's baseball team won the Olympic title in 1992, 1996 and 2004, but
lost in the final to the United States in 2000. (AP)

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