Cuban center Ysmael Romero did not travel to Havana with the Puerto Rican team for the confrontation with the local squad, in the continuation of the second qualifying window for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, after not receiving the Cuban passport on time .
“We are very sorry about the situation. Despite all the efforts we made in the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation to get him a Cuban passport, it finally did not arrive on time, so he will not be able to travel with the team to Cuba,” Yum Ramos, president of the organization, explained this Friday. local, in a statement.
Ramos indicated that Romero made these efforts since last year. In addition, a communication was sent to the Federation of Cuba and the Cuban embassy and consulate in Washington DC However, the passport could not be received on time, says the note, cited by the agency EFE.
Center Ysmael Romero will not be able to accompany the Puerto Rico National Basketball Team for its commitment in Cuba.
Details ⤵️https://t.co/lqIUjVpliw
— FBPUR ???????????? (@fbpur) February 25, 2022
Romero began as a basketball player in Cuba, but after settling in Puerto Rico, he complied with the nationalization process and in October 2021 he was authorized by the International Federation (FIBA) to represent that Caribbean island in international tournaments. He is currently part of the Bayamón Cowboys payroll, one of the main teams in the Puerto Rican professional league.
In his Twitter account the player had reaffirmed some time ago his feeling as a Cuban and, at the same time, his commitment to Puerto Rico. “All my life I will be Cuban, that will never change,” he said then, in a message in which he also promised to proudly represent his new team.
All my life I will be Cuban, that will never change, it is in my blood ????????❤️ but this “Puerto Rico” uniform I promise to represent it with RESPECT… PRIDE and THANK YOU ???????? pic.twitter.com/9EhQDTXbnk
– Ysmael Romero (@TheCubanazo) November 28, 2021
After Romero’s departure, the Puerto Rican sports organization carried out the procedures so that basket player Chris Gastón wears the national team’s jersey in Sunday’s match against Cuba. Gastón is part of the list of players sent to FIBA.
Puerto Rico fell to the United States on Thursday, 93-76, at the beginning of the second window and traveled to Havana this Friday for their next match. In that challenge, Romero scored 5 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
Also this Thursday the Cuban team conceded his third setback in the qualifying group for the World Cup, when they lost to the representation of Mexico with a score of 72-82, in a clash held on the field of the Sports City Coliseum, in the Cuban capital.
The representative of the Island achieved a balanced score (37-39) during the first half of the match, but from then on he was a victim of the effectiveness of his rival’s long-distance shots, who hit 10 three-pointers in 27 attempts, several of them in a third quarter that were decisive in the outcome.
In the same scenario, this Sunday the Cuban team will seek its first victory against the Puerto Rican squad in the qualifying process, and incidentally take revenge for the setback suffered in the first private duel held on Mexican soil, and which ended with a score of 60- 69.
Romero’s performance was decisive then in what until now appears as Puerto Rico’s only victory in the qualifier, since the Cuban was the top scorer in the game against his homeland team, with 18 points on his account.
EFE / OnCuba
