US Treasury says Cuba can't send players to World Baseball Classic

[Craig3410]

I don't know, it seems kinda important (to me at least); US being in a pissing contest with Cuba:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2259278

Something about "money from the prize pool going to Cuba would violate the embargo"

NEW YORK -- Cuba won't be allowed to send a team to next year's inaugural World Baseball Classic, the U.S. government told event organizers Wednesday.

The decision by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control was conveyed to Major League Baseball on Wednesday, according to Pat Courtney, a spokesman for the commissioner's office.

A permit from OFAC is necessary because of U.S. laws governing commercial transactions with Fidel Castro's communist island nation.

Paul Archey, the senior vice president of Major League Baseball International, and Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the Major League Baseball Players Association, issued a joint statement saying the organizers would try to reverse the decision. The commissioner's office and the union have jointly organized the 16-team tournament, which runs from March 3-20 in the United States, Puerto Rico and Japan.

[jakefrep]

1. As usual

...we're the ones initiating the pissing contest, thanks to those useless fuckwads in Little Havana.

[GatoLover]

2. I'm not a fan of Castro, but this is pretty stupid

Even if the economic boycott was a good idea forty years ago, which I doubt, I am just befuddled by what anyone thinks it accomplishes today.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Are you kidding

Cuban Americans in Florida are big donors to the Republican Party, so if they want to see that Commie Castro suffer, then he suffers.

But, isn't it odd that Republicans love to do business with the Communists in China & Vietnam?

[GatoLover]

8. Even Carter and Clinton maintained the boycott

I sort of understand the pressure the Cuban expatriates have exerted on both parties, especially the Repubs in recent years. I guess I understand the first ten years. Maybe the first twenty. But here we are 45 years after Castro came to power, El Supremo has outlasted JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, RR, 41, Clinton, now 43, how can anybody see any point at this advanced stage?

[jakefrep]

7. Our embargo...

won't hurt Castro since virtually EVERY other country on Earth is still trading with him.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi GatoLover!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[TomInTib]

3. That's because the Cubans woud walk away with it. Screw MLB

after the Oriole's fiasco the Cuban's will never be allowed to embarass us again

[trackfan]

9. If I understand it correctly MLB is against this embargo -

they want Cuba to participate, as do all true baseball fans. This is a government thing, which I hope is somehow set aside to allow Cuba to participate.

[GirlinContempt]

5. Wait wait wait

China can go?!

[Oversea Visitor]

6. Haha

How come many states signed trade agreements with Cuba. :rofl:
:crazy: