By J.J. Cooper
July 14, 2005

Cuba’s top sports official says it is unlikely that the defending Olympic gold medalists will compete in next spring’s World Baseball Classic.

Citing reasons having to do with capitalization of the sport and confusion on the purpose of the tournament, Cuba’s National Institute of Sport president Humberto Rodriguez seemed uncommitted to pledging support for the Classic in an Associated Press article.

“Cuba doubts it will participate, primarily because the reasons and the interests behind the event have yet to be state clearly,” Rodriguez told the Associated Press. “However, I can already tell you . . . that if it’s about capitalizing baseball to show off economic power, we are not in agreement.”