Former Boxing Champion Bernardo Comas Struggles with Dementia in Leaky Camagüey Home Under Mother's Care

Bernardo Comas, a celebrated amateur boxing world champion in 1982 and a prominent figure in Cuban sports during the 1980s, is now battling senile dementia at the age of 65. He resides in a home plagued by leaks in Camagüey, relying on the care of his elderly mother, with no access to essential medications or basic appliances.

This dire situation was highlighted during a visit by Cubanet to the former boxer's residence on Wednesday. During the visit, the media outlet spoke with Comas' mother about their living conditions.

She painted a grim picture, particularly when it rains: "When it rains, I can't sleep. We have to run," she explained, noting that she has to move furniture around to find a dry spot where her son can rest.

Regarding the state of appliances in their home, she was blunt: "Nothing works here. The refrigerator, washing machine, fan—nothing. What we have doesn't function."

Comas receives a monthly pension of 8,000 Cuban pesos, while his mother collects 3,000 pesos. When asked if this amount suffices to meet the former athlete's needs, she was unequivocal: "How could it be enough? It’s not enough for anyone to live on."

The economic hardship is compounded by the inability to treat Comas' illness. "There's no medicine for that kind of disease here," his mother lamented.

Although the regime officially acknowledges Comas as a "Glory of Cuban Sports," his mother asserts that this title has never translated into actual support: "Since he's been here, since he retired, the government has never provided any help."

Following recent attention to their plight, officials have begun visiting the home. "Now, with all the attention, they've come," Comas' mother conceded.

However, she clarified that the visits have yet to yield any tangible results: "So far, they haven't resolved anything."

The family also claims that Comas has not received payments supposedly owed to him for his gold medals. A close acquaintance assured them that the money was available in Camagüey, but his mother refutes this: "He told me, 'The money is already here in Camagüey, it's all set.' But we haven't seen a cent."

Born on November 14, 1960, Comas built his career in Camagüey. His crowning achievement came at the 1982 Amateur Boxing World Championship in Munich, where he won gold in the 75-kilogram division, defeating Finland's Tarmo Uusivirta in the final.

In the semifinals, he had overcome American Iran Barkley, who would later become a professional middleweight world champion. The following year, he reaffirmed his status as a continental figure by winning the title at the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas.

Comas' situation is not unique. Recently, the family of Olympic champion Andrés Aldama reported a similar situation: the former boxer lives in a dilapidated apartment in Matanzas with dementia and diabetes.

Previously, former boxer Gaspar Casamayor was seen begging in the streets of Santiago de Cuba despite holding the same title of "Glory of Sports," and former athlete Aleida Palomo was reported ill and begging in the same city.

In response to this series of complaints, Wilmer Lewis Calvo, the national commissioner for Athlete Care at INDER, denied on the Round Table program that these sports legends were abandoned, claiming that support structures exist.

However, the reality documented by independent media in Camagüey, Matanzas, and Santiago de Cuba contradicts this official narrative.