Guantanamo.- The Cuban Volleyball Federation (FCV) confirmed today that its women’s national team will not be participating in the NORCECA Final Four tournament in Puerto Rico, due to an initial visa denial by the United States Embassy in Havana on June 26.
In an official statement, the FCV reported that although the U.S. diplomatic mission reversed its decision for 15 of the 16 members of the delegation (12 athletes, 2 coaches, 1 referee, and 1 team manager) on Tuesday, the measure comes too late. Tournament organizers had already replaced the Cuban team to preserve the competition format.
Below is the full statement released by the FCV:
Statement from the Cuban Volleyball Federation
The Cuban Volleyball Federation (FCV) confirms that the visa denial issued by the United States Embassy in Havana on June 26 will prevent our team from participating in the NORCECA women’s Final Four tournament, scheduled to begin this Wednesday in Puerto Rico.
As previously stated on the day of the denial, all 16 members of our delegation (12 athletes, two coaches, one referee, and one team manager) were notified of the decision during their scheduled appointment, which had been requested within the timeframes required by the visa process.
We clarify that the sudden decision to approve visas for 15 of the delegation members, communicated via telephone by the U.S. Embassy this Tuesday, just hours before the start of the competition, falls far short of a real solution. Following the initial denial, tournament organizers had already registered another team to maintain the competition’s structure.
Moreover, the logistical demands involved in last-minute travel arrangements make this change of position not only unhelpful but also offensive and irrational. It does nothing to prevent Cuba’s absence from a qualifying event for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo and one that counts toward both NORCECA and world rankings.
We emphasize that this action is in direct contradiction with the responsibilities of countries that host international sporting events. It reflects an unfair and discriminatory approach that goes against the principles of sport and has also been applied to Cuban delegations in other disciplines.
We once again alert the international sports community to the implications of this situation and what it could signal for future conduct by the country set to host the 2028 Olympic Games.
We remain grateful to the tournament organizers for their extensive efforts and have kept them informed of all developments. We also call on our counterpart federations to express their solidarity and condemn this unjustified treatment.
Cuban Volleyball Federation
Havana, July 15, 2025
