The Cuban national baseball team has ratified its will to take part in the next World Classic, said Cuban Olympic Committee president Jose Ramon Fernandez Saturday.

"We have ratified our will to participate, though we are waiting for new contact with the Major League Baseball, where our positions are respected," he stated.

Cuba will once again negotiate everything which does not constitute an element of principle, since some aspects remained in the version before in 2006.

In 2006, the firm position of the Cuban sports leaders and the support of baseball federations kept Cuba on the field, to which US was openly opposed.

Fernandez also said Cuba will keep on fighting for the possible return of baseball to the Olympic Games competition program.

"It is possible that detractors still want baseball out of the Olympic program because of the MLB doping scandals, but soccer, cycling and track and field are related," he stated.

In that sense, Fernandez ratified Cuba's position against doping. nm/tac/ucl/lp

(PL)