On Thursday the AP had a story on how the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets had denied a request by Major League Baseball so that Cuba could take part in the World Baseball Classic that will be played in March of 2006. I am actually kind of excited about the WBC and have bought ticket to go down to Arizona to watch the pool B play which includes Mexico, Canada, USA, and South Africa. Not including Cuba is a real shame as on the international scene they have always been successful in baseball. With the Olympics currently dropping baseball as sport as part of the Summer games this was really all the world has to determine who is the best. In the story it also talked about how there could be repercussions by the International Olympic Committee for the US banning the play of Cuba in which the chances of the US to host an Olympic games could be in jeopardy.
Hopefully the decision is overturned or reversed. Cuba was scheduled to play in the pool C in Puerto Rico which included Panama, Netherlands, Puerto Rico along with Cuba.