A dozen Cuban baseball players star in the island’s biggest desertion in years during a tournament in Mexico – BBC News Mundo

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Caption,

Players participated in the U23 Baseball World Cup in Mexico

You haven’t seen something like this in years.

At least 9 young Cuban baseball players defected Sunday during a tournament in Mexico, authorities said. Some media point out that there were 11 or even 12 athletes who dropped out.

It is about half of the team’s roster and represents the largest dropout of Cuban athletes in years.

Cuban officials rated the actions of the players who participated in the U23 Baseball World Cup “vile abandonments”, state media report.