On a rare rainy spring day in Santiago, a group of Cuban athletes toured a gym, one of their first public activities since they represented their country at the Pan American Games — and then asked to stay in Chile.
“We already feel calmer; God willing we get everything we’re hoping for,” said Yunia Milanes, one of six hockey players who has sought asylum in Chile. “We thank the people and the mayors and lawyers, everyone. We want to be another member of Las Diablas [Chile’s hockey team] and be able to represent Chile.”
A seventh athlete has joined the six women in requesting asylum since the Games ended on Sunday.
Photo: AP
They join three other Cuban athletes who fled during a previous athletics competition in Chile in May.
The lawyer who advises the athletes, Mijail Bonito, said that the 10 athletes have received temporary residence documents while their cases are resolved.
The Cuban embassy in Chile did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Photo: AP
Chilean President Gabriel Boric’s government said earlier this week that immigration authorities had received a request for asylum after the Games closed.
A government spokesperson on Friday told reporters that it had received 10 refugee requests from Cuban athletes so far.
The government said that about 20 athletes from the Cuban delegation had not returned to Cuba.
Lazaro Tolon, one of the athletes who stayed behind in May, said that the decision had been “super difficult, super complex,” but that the “main reason we made this decision is to feel free.”
Taiwan kept their hopes of advancing to next year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome on Saturday, backed by solid pitching. Taiwan last night played against Nicaragua. As of press time, Nicaragua was leading 6-0. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan on Saturday kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen struck out one and allowed no hits, except for a hit-by-pitch over
Taiwan kept its hopes of advancing to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) alive with a 9-1 victory over South Africa in a qualifier at the Taipei Dome last night, backed by solid pitching. Bouncing back from Friday’s struggles on the mound, when Taiwanese pitchers surrendered 15 runs to Spain, Team Taiwan kept the visiting team in check, allowing just one run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The win was crucial for Taiwan, as a loss would have eliminated the team from contention for the next WBC. Starting pitcher Sha Tzu-chen (沙子宸) struck out one and allowed no hits, except for
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