The former freestyle wrestler Elpidio Martén Kindelán, who serves as a physiotherapist for the Cuban wrestling team, has left the national delegation in Spain, just ahead of the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris. The news was shared on social media this Sunday by wrestling expert Roly Dámaso: “The exodus of Cuban sports figures who decide to leave their delegations just days before the Paris 2024 Olympics continues.”
According to Dámaso, a source informed him that Martén was told in Spain that he would no longer be part of the delegation due to “budget cut issues.” The report does not specify the exact date when Martén, who has over 30 years of experience as a physiotherapist, departed from the Cuban team. It only mentions that the incident occurred in Spain before the teams were set to travel to France.
Earlier in July, Cuba participated in the Grand Prix of Wrestling in Spain, represented by three male freestyle wrestlers and two female wrestlers. In the Spanish competition, wrestlers Alejandro Valdés (65 kg), Arturo Silot (97 kg), and Milaymis Marín (76 kg) in the female category, won titles in their respective divisions.
The Grand Prix was the final competition for Cuban female and freestyle wrestlers as they prepared for the Olympics, according to the official sports portal JIT. After the tournament, they were scheduled to conduct training camps in Madrid and the French city of Clermont-Ferrand before heading to the Olympic village in Paris 2024.
Cuba will participate in the Olympic Games in France with a reduced delegation of 62 athletes—the smallest group since Tokyo 1964—ten of whom will compete in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. Mijaín López, a Greco-Roman wrestler in the 130-kilogram division, will be the Cuban flag bearer at the Olympics.
This year has seen a continued "bleeding" of Cuban athletes, including coaches and medical staff, who leave the country or escape from national delegations before or during international competitions. This exodus includes several wrestlers from both freestyle and Greco-Roman disciplines.
In May, Greco-Roman wrestler Ángel Pacheco, in the 130-kilogram category, left the Cuban team in Croatia during a training camp as part of the team's Olympic preparation. Pacheco had traveled to Croatia among the athletes selected to support their colleagues in training.
Three months earlier, wrestlers Susana Martínez (76 kg), Santiago Hernández (57 kg), and Osmany Diversent (57 kg), who were in Acapulco, Mexico, for the Pan American Championship in Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, deserted their delegation. This competition was also a qualifying event for Paris 2024.
In March 2023, two members of the women's wrestling team left the squad during a stopover in Mexico on their way to El Salvador, where they were to prepare for the Central American and Caribbean Games.
Impact of Budget Cuts and Athlete Exodus on Cuban Wrestling
The departure of key figures from the Cuban wrestling team raises questions about the future of the sport in the country. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
Why did Elpidio Martén Kindelán leave the Cuban wrestling team?
Martén was informed in Spain that he would no longer be part of the delegation due to budget cut issues.
How many athletes will represent Cuba in the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Cuba will participate with a reduced delegation of 62 athletes, the smallest group since Tokyo 1964.
What recent competitions have the Cuban wrestlers participated in?
Cuban wrestlers recently participated in the Grand Prix of Wrestling in Spain, where they won several titles.