‘Sports Are Not Politics’: Boxing Fans Elated as New Rule Allows Cuban Women Boxers to Compete for the First Time in 60 Years

The Republic of Cuba has had a long-drawn tradition of raising some of the best boxers in the world. When talking about Cuban professional boxers, most boxing aficionados might be familiar with the names Guillermo Rigondeaux and Yordenis Ugas. However, very few, if any, Cuban woman boxers are known to the global boxing audience. Women were banned from competing in the sport after the 1959 revolution by politician and revolutionary, Fidel Castro. But, the rule wasn’t revoked even after Castro’s demise in 2016. It was recently reported that in a new pathbreaking rule change, women boxers were finally allowed to compete.

Cuba recently approved the family code. Notably, the family code involved a series of rules and regulations that work towards the eradication of discrimination against women and the LGBT community. While talking about the inclusion of women’s boxing to BBC, Cuban boxer, Joanna Rodriguez seemed hopeful. She said, “This (new rule) is going to change everything. It could even shift the way of thinking because there is machismo among both men and women here.”

Rodriguez also revealed that she is looking forward to proving her mettle on an international stage. On the other hand, her trainer, Namibia Flores, felt that the government’s decision came a decade too late.

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Even though it was delayed, the Cuban boxing community, however, was elated with the new rule. And the president of the Cuban Boxing Federation, Alberto Puig, stated that their priority will be to make up for the time that women’s boxing lost.

Boxing fans react to Cuba’s new decision

Fans seemed intrigued at the Cuban government’s decision to allow women to compete. In fact, a lot of fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the same.

User @Christo505156049 was quick to point out that sports and politics should never be mixed. This is, in fact, an unspoken rule that governments should follow. As mixing sports and politics might deem detrimental to the growth of athletes.

Meanwhile, a few more fans pitched in to voice their excitement about the decision.

What are your thoughts on the new rule? Let us know in the comments below

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