Hopes that World
Cup will ignite passion for soccer in Cuban youth
IN Cuba, where soccer stands in the shadows of
baseball, it is hoped that the World Cup Germany
will finally ignite a passion for the sport in Cuban
youth.
José Ramón Fernández, president of the Cuban
Olympic Committee, told journalists that with the
start of the World Cup more Cuban children can be
seen kicking footballs around. "I see the World Cup
as an incentive to awaken interest in developing
soccer among children, youth, and adults."
Cuba has only participated once in the World Cup:
1938, in France.
However, the island has been World and Olympic
champions in baseball, boxing, and other sports.
It also has the strongest Olympic team in Latin
America, with nine gold, seven silver, and 11 bronze
medals in the 2004 Athens Games.
As the World Cup approaches, children chasing
behind footballs in the streets, open spaces, and
sports fields of the island has become a more
frequent sight.
Cuba, a country where access to participation in
sports is a constitutional right, has spent years
trying to inspire youth to play soccer. (Reuters)
64 WORLD CUP GAMES TO BE SHOWN ON TV
Cuban television will broadcast the 64 games of
the World Cup in Germany. The 25 weekend matches
will be televised live, while the rest will be shown
on a differed schedule.
Fifty-five of the games will be broadcast live on
radio.
Friday, July 9, the Tele Rebelde channel begins
transmitting the World Cup, offering the opening
ceremony and the first two matches.
SPECIAL GRANMA SUPPLEMENT
For its part, the June 9 edition of Granma
daily published an 8-page special supplement with
reviews of each country taking part in the World Cup,
including lists of team members and a calendar of
events.
