Cuban Baseball's Latest Injustice: Erly Casanova Penalized Without Notice or Explanation

In a move that defies belief, Cuba's National Baseball Commission has once again shown that impromptu decisions, authoritarianism, and abuse continue to determine the fate of this beloved sport on the island. This time, the mismanagement has targeted veteran pitcher Erly Casanova from Pinar del Río, who has been banned from participating in any official Cuban baseball tournaments for a year. The announcement came through journalist Ernesto Amaya Esquivel's post on Facebook. What was the reason? Casanova independently negotiated his contract with Parma in Italy, bypassing the Cuban Federation, an act that remains unforgivable to those who oversee baseball from increasingly distant offices, Esquivel noted.

Furthermore, Esquivel explained that Erly, like many others, has played abroad without the federation's involvement on many occasions. However, this time they decided to make an "example" of him to instill fear in others. They did so without even formally notifying him. Casanova hasn't signed any sanction document, nor has the INDER in Pinar del Río or the National Commission communicated anything to him officially. The punishment was, quite literally, silent and cowardly.

This sanction, besides being unjust, comes at a critical juncture: baseball in Cuba is hemorrhaging and needs unity, not division. While other players negotiate contracts independently without facing punishment—and some, even without playing, are called to the Cuban national team—Casanova pays the price for being upright, dedicated, and discreet.

Here is a player who has consistently demonstrated professionalism both domestically and internationally, has singlehandedly raised his two children, pitched amidst personal family challenges, and never been involved in any scandal. Yet, he is punished as if he were a traitor. In Cuba, it appears the issue is not the action itself, but who is permitted to undertake it.

Amaya emphasizes that all this transpires under the leadership of Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo, president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, whose management is as unpopular as it is inexplicable. Amaya concluded that with this latest injustice, it is highly likely that Erly Casanova will never don a uniform on Cuban diamonds again. The tragedy lies not only in this potential loss, but in the continued erosion of talent, prestige, and credibility in Cuban baseball, as the leadership makes decisions behind the backs of its players and fans.

The issue in Cuban baseball is not a lack of talent, but an abundance of mediocrity within its power structures. "This no longer seems like an institution; it resembles a micro-enterprise with owners," Amaya Esquivel concluded.