Jorge Luis Sanchez does not look to be the national commissioner of athletics, although that idea, that image is only a prima facie evaluation. It is not that his face contradicts his position or that his words do not convince enough when he speaks, no. The fact is that his attitude is not what one is accustomed to find in this type of position.
The generality is a man with an attitude, cold as an ice box and withdrawn to the utmost, that feels besieged with your visit and tries to curtail that moment with a very predictable dose of dissimulation. The national commissioners are not as Jorge Luis, they are not as good-natured as he was; they don’t have kindness as their introduction card. They hardly come out to meet you in the middle of the hallway, and then they will take you to their office without you give up one iota of allegiance to talk to you for a while when they were not on notice of your untimely arrival.
Jorge Luis works at the Pan American Stadium in Havana, east of the city. A mass of masonry almost ruined, suffering from the salty air and inattention, a prehistoric animal. Unequivocally: there isn’t any outdoor athletics stadium that near the sea. Surely, the only one worldwide is the Pan American Stadium in Havana. It is a geographical and architectural, on top of that, aberration.
What are the next international commitments for Cuban athletics?
What we have left in 2014 are the Central American and Caribbean Games that will take place in Veracruz, Mexico. There athletics will be competing from November 24 through the 29 in the city of Jalapa. By early 2015 our main figures will not have international commitments because they will have the Games in November, then holidays in December and January we will begin the first macro cycle training with a view to the Pan American Games. Therefore they will not participate in the next European winter season. We have always attended as protagonists, but this time, athletes will not be prepared because of time and they can not intervene in this circuit.
Then our key figures will go to Veracruz?
Exactly, all national team athletes will be in those Games, with the exception of decathlete Leonel Suárez who isrecovering from an injury.
I have the perception that Cuba this season has had a rather discreet presence in the Diamond League. Is that the case?
The Diamond League is a series of meetings held in Europe, where only 8 and 12 athletes participate in track and field competitions, respectively. There is generally a large participation of athletes and those who come are the first places in the world rankings in each specialty. However, in the first half we had a good presence. We returned to Europe to participate in the Pan American Festival which was held in Mexico from last August 14-17 and after that date we did not return to continue the League.
Many people do not even know that Pedro Pablo Pichardo, time after becoming world runner-up in triple jump, was punished and separated from the national team. Could you explain what was what happened to the Santiago athlete and when he is scheduled to return?
Pichardo didn’t show up at training with the national team and we took the decision to impose a sanction for the misconduct committed. Essentially the penalty is reduced to that he would be separated from the team and all national and international competition for six months, which culminates in the month of November. Within rehabilitation in the province of Santiago de Cuba he has been able to train and his return to the national team depends on his fulfillment of the instructions that were given to him during this stage.
Dayron Robles continues running in Europe and the 110 meter hurdles in Cuba have been almost bare. Did the Cuban Federation completely close the doors or is there any possibility for him to run for our country again?
He also is competing in Europe on his own at rallies that take place in one day, even if he makes the grade and his times are good, invitations may reach him to participate in the Diamond League itself. Dayron Robles has the right to compete in Cuba following arrangements regarding the participation of our country. That is, he can join his province and take part from municipal, provincial competitions, until he gets to the “Cuba Cup” which is the national championship, of course, if he has interest in it. Then he might join the team Cuba or not, whether it would be a situation that would be analyzed in terms of his performance and the requirements that our federation has to integrate the team with a view to the international stage.
And the Federation would agree with his return?
Dayron is an athlete of our country, it is a glory of Cuban sport, he is Olympic champion, was world record holder and those are merits that no one can remove. When he presented us with the request for his dismissal of the selection, we insisted on granting him six sabbatical months to meditate his decision and thus could recover from the injury that he had. Robles did not wish to continue to compete and wanted to disassociate from the Cuban athletics. Our position is that he can compete in Cuba, and after an analysis would be done at the time when the event occurs.
What goals and objectives has the Federation set for the remaining Olympic cycle?
For this term we have as main objective to relocate Cuban athletics among the 10 nations in each of the competitions in which we intervene. Besides, being the first in Central America and second in the Pan American games, keep global positions in the first category of cadets and youth. And promote the integral development of our athletes is what will give us the ability to achieve these competitive goals.
