With the women’s team skipping the 2020 Olympic Qualification Tourney, can we safely say that the women’s program is now just a thing in the past?
According to cev.lu, Cuba has been replaced by Poland after “failing to confirm their spot” for the very first Olympic qualification tournament in August. Poland now joins tourney favorites Serbia, Puerto Rico and Thailand.
The LAST time the women’s team competed at the Olympics was in 2008 led by the great Yumilka Ruiz. After the Beijing Olympics, Cuba’s women’s volleyball program started to fall apart due to politics and the departure of their best players.
Within the last 10 years, Cuba’s women’s team has FAILED to win any major continental or international title. The program is going downhill with no hope of bringing back their glorious days in women’s volleyball that includes 3 Olympic gold medals (1992 – 1996 – 2000).
What should change?
The change should within the Cuban government on how they treat their athletes. From what we know, you are not allowed to play overseas for 2 years once you stop playing for the national team. The punishment is harsh and cruel to someone’s development as a person and as an athlete. Consequently, a lot of Cuba’s players are left with no choice but to take this route of suffering before seeing the light.
This is why great players like Tai Aguero, Nancy Carrillo, Wilfredo Leon, Osmany Juantorena, Robertlandy Simon and Yoandy Leal left BUT look at them now. They are much happier with the new beginnings in their lives since leaving the Cuban team.
The sad truth is that Cuban volleyball is dying or it’s been dead for years. At present, there seems to be no sign of reviving it but we remain hopeful for the day to come wherein Cuba is on podium again with gold medals around their necks.
Women’s Olympic Qualification Pools:
Pool A: Serbia, Puerto Rico, Thailand, Poland
Pool B: China, Turkey, Germany, Czech Republic
Pool C: USA, Argentina, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan
Pool D: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Cameroon, Azerbaijan
Pool E: Russia, Korea, Canada, Mexico
Pool F: The Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Kenya.
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