Cuban-turned-Italian finally confessed the reason why she DECLINED to play for the Italian National Team after leaving Cuba after the 2000 Olympics and marrying an Italian. We are quite surprised with her reason and we admire her even more!
Unlike her former Cuban teammate Aguero who played for the Italian Team and even played against Cuba in the 2007 World Cup, Mirka has a very valid reason.
Mirka stated that she did not play for the Italian team because of Piccinini it is NOT her country! “I live in Italy but my country is Cuba. Italian National Team could mean new possibilities and excitement for me. However, Cuba and Cuban National team are very important for me. Cuba embodies very different feelings for me.” says Mirka. (She should get a Miss Patriotism award!)
From this interview, the midde blocker-turned-outside hitter mentioned the following:
“I firstly want to point out something else. Money was never important for us in Cuba. We do everything for the country and for the citizens. Of course, every sportsman in Cuba is raised, since childhood, to eventually realize their full potential and display their whole capacity. We give a lot of importance to physical power. In this respect, I think volleyball is very suitable for the girls of Cuba. Jumping and power were always the main focus for us rather than technique. We were playing with two setters. Those players, having played in that system, are capable enough to play in every position. As for Fidel Castro… I still talk to him and hear from him.” -Mirka on Fidel Castro’s role on Cuban volleyball.
“This is not easy at all. Now Brazil is a very good team. China and Italy are also very good teams. Maybe Turkey can also have some title in the future. But the team is in a constant change right now. That’s why the old success cannot be reached right away. In that respect, we may be considered successful even now. But some other things may have been influential as well. Today players want to go out of Cuba and play somewhere else when they think that they are qualified a bit. But there was no such thing back then. The team constituted a huge totality. There was a different team spirit.” -On Cuba’s new generation of players.
We also found out that Italian coach, Massimo Barbolini, was the one responsible of developing Mirka from a world class middle blocker to a world class all around outside hitter.
To READ the FULL interview, click HERE.
Side Dish: Mirka played 10 seasons in the Italian League with Perugia before transferring to Turkey’s Eczacıbaşı.
WATCH: Mirka & Aguero in action with CUBA back in 1999. (Not the best quality but still watchable!)