Omar Toledano, widely regarded as the best handball player on the Cuban national team, has left the sports delegation in Mexico, where they were participating in the Pre-World Championship for the sport.
Multiple sports sources have confirmed Toledano's absence from the Cuban team. Among them is journalist Francys Romero, who noted that the 29-year-old athlete is "the sixth athlete to leave a delegation in 2024."
Toledano had been selected for the ideal team of the NORCECA tournament, alongside goalkeeper Magnol Suárez, left-winger Hanser Rodríguez, and right-back Ángel Rivero. Cuba has qualified for the 2025 IHF Men's Handball World Championship, which will be jointly hosted by Croatia, Denmark, and Norway.
"Premundial de Balonmano México DF Final Cuba 36 México 21. We’re in the World Championship, folks! Yes, you heard it right: Cuba will return to a Handball World Championship after 15 years," tweeted Círculo de Espera on May 13, 2024.
Originally from Santiago de Cuba, Toledano was reportedly close to signing with the Sporting Club of Portugal, under the auspices of the Institute of Sports, Physical Education, and Recreation (INDER).
Recent Athlete Departures
Recently, the prominent judoka Magdiel Estrada, representing the 73 kg category of the national men's team, also made headlines for his departure. Estrada left his delegation while attending the Pan American tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he was seeking Olympic qualification for Paris in the upcoming July and August.