Sports commentator Pavel Otero, a spokesperson for Cuban state television, criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Monday night for including two Cuban athletes in the Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) for the Paris 2024 Games. During the sports segment of the TV news broadcast, Otero condemned the decision made by the IOC and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which selected Fernando Dayán Jorge Enríquez, a Tokyo 2020 champion in the 1000-meter canoe double, and Ramiro Mora Romero, a weightlifter.
After providing a brief historical overview of the EOR, which first materialized at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games, the journalist posed a series of questions: "Did these two Cuban athletes participate in a war that forced them to flee Cuba? Are they persecuted because of their skin color or religion? Or were they expelled from Cuba for their political beliefs?"
"We all know that is not the case," he answered before continuing, "Therefore, the IOC and the UNHCR have altered, if not manipulated, the original requirements and intentions behind this noble idea to assist persecuted or refugee athletes from around the world."
Otero also issued a warning, suggesting that this could mark the beginning of a dangerous trend. "Can you imagine if from now on, all Cuban athletes who emigrate for economic and personal reasons are accepted in this refugee category?"
He added that "Cuba has nothing against Fernando Dayán and weightlifter Mora, and if they win their medals, we will not reject them because they are sons of our land."
However, he overlooked the fact that in March 2022, when the Olympic canoe champion left a delegation in Mexico, the National Commission for that sport labeled the decision as a "serious indiscipline" and accused him of turning his back on his commitment to his sport and his people, according to the digital publication JIT.
Otero's commentary seems to be part of a broader strategy by the regime against the IOC and UNHCR. On May 24, the official newspaper Granma also reacted angrily to the inclusion of the two athletes, going as far as to say they mixed "oil with vinegar."
"To be clearer, they become complicit in the aggressive and criminal policy of the United States against Cuba, which has used talent theft and organized irregular migration—with all its human costs, because lives do not matter to them—with the aim of discrediting Cuba by attacking one of its great achievements: its sports movement," wrote Oscar Sánchez Serra.
The 25-year-old canoeist, who emigrated to the United States via the southern border, shared in an interview his perception of Cuban reality after returning from the competition in Tokyo, a month after the historic July 11, 2021 protests, known as 11J. After spending three months on vacation following the Olympic Games, "that was when I really immersed myself in society and experienced what all Cubans live through," Jorge Enríquez said. "There were many moments when I was disappointed and did not agree with the things that were happening."
During his migration journey, the canoeist captured international media attention by helping a young Cuban woman while crossing the Rio Grande. "What followed was a challenging period during which he had to work and train simultaneously under difficult conditions. Fernando now resides in Florida and trains daily in a canal near his home with the support of his coach, Alain," according to the IOC's biographical note on the athlete.
Since then, he has persevered in his dream of returning to international competition. His talent was showcased in the United States when he won four gold medals at the National Sprint Canoe Championship held in Sarasota, Florida.
Weightlifter Mora, on the other hand, arrived in London from Havana as a circus trapeze artist in 2019. In 2023, he was proclaimed the UK national weightlifting champion, setting a new record.
Cuban Athletes in Refugee Olympic Team
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the inclusion of Cuban athletes in the Refugee Olympic Team for Paris 2024.
Why were Fernando Dayán Jorge Enríquez and Ramiro Mora Romero included in the Refugee Olympic Team?
The IOC and UNHCR selected them based on their status as athletes who have left Cuba and are seeking to compete internationally despite their circumstances.
What is the Refugee Olympic Team?
The Refugee Olympic Team was created to allow athletes who have been displaced from their home countries to compete in the Olympics. It debuted at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Games.
How has the Cuban government reacted to their inclusion?
The Cuban government, through state media and officials, has criticized the inclusion, claiming it undermines the original purpose of the Refugee Olympic Team.