A routine phone call gives the first phrases of this dialogue. Lawyers, historian and writer Ventura Caballero Pupo answered:
“The Sports Support Groups in Cuba have decreased and the solid movement founded by the 1990s is also affected.”
He is founder and first vice president of the National Council of the Sports Support Groups (CNPD). He is originally from Holguin eastern province and he really knows the implication of his words, because this movement responds to the popular interest to support not only the athletes in games, but also the sports system in general, making emphasis on the activism, the preservation of the history and the attention to the relatives, trainers, judges, directives and retired figures.
Which are the causes of this marked decrease?
The origin is in the search of the decision to eliminate preferences of the Sports Support Groups on the boxes in several baseball stadiums, which took place without previous information to the CNPD and without analyzing with the members of this movement of that measure, as part of the implementation of the decrease of free entrance in the facilities. They do not take into consideration the role of our group has performed taking care of the show, above all, taking care of the discipline and respect to the athletes, directives and referees. We were terribly upset, because it was not a common privilege granted by INDER (National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation) in each territory, but a fair award to the love and dedication of many people for the Cuban sports.
If we talk about origin, I suspect there has been thrown more wood to the fire.
Suddenly, donations from INDER to support the performance of the movement were also cut. So, this way disappear the softball tournament, whose fifth edition called 532 teams and more than 13, 000 players from all the country. It was also the farewell of the competition of Sports History and the domino event that in its third call mobilized more than 8, 000 couples.
The CNPD stopped meeting four years ago which does not allows to evaluate the job in group, draw strategies up and award the best groups.
The celebration every May 4 of the National Day of the Sports Support Groups has lost support and connotation. I would like to remind this date was selected 14 years ago to pay tribute to the welcome given in 1999 to the baseball players that defeated the Orioles from Baltimore, at the stairs of the University of Havana presided over by Fidel Castro Ruz.
Have you talked about these situations with INDER?
Top authorities of the organism have not met for a long time with the CNPD. They have just shared with some of the groups in particular. There is lack of communication with the an organization claimed substantial part of the Cuban sports system, which was awarded by the International Olympic Committee for its contribution to the volunteer movement worldwide.
In which other provinces is happening the same?
In some territories they have undone the budget’s knots to “help” the groups, in view to some essential activities. However, it has always been done, fearing to be committing violation.
We have proposed the existence of this movement with self finance status, but the idea has been heard with evident distrust. No one should be in doubt that all the time we are supporting the revolutionary sports and the ideas of our leaders.
The problem has pretty economical nuances:
It seems to but I feel there is lack of vision on the role of these organizations in the political sphere. These groups support the Cuban sports with a unique behavior which is consistent with the interests of the people. There is diversity of thought, critic to what is wrong, the disrespect, to the lack of professionalism, but the union of principles is unyielding.
We can still identify many active groups.
It is true; thanks to passionate and enterprising leaders we still have in Cuba. However, we had 1, 342 groups and about 60, 000 members, figure that had notably dropped. Besides, the movement not only depends of the existence of them, but on the real possibilities to join people and visualized ideas, objectives, projects, goals and priorities. That is very limited in real life in this moment.
Are you with your arms crossed?
Never, CNPD president, Roberto Pacheco continues directing the groups from the microphones on Radio Rebelde. And the will to keep on doing things is present in several places, with more or less support to protect and praise our sportsmen and sportswomen.
