Havana - Officials and specialists from the Cuban Sports Institute (Inder) denounced today the damage caused to sports by the commercial, economic and financial blockade set up by the United States against Cuba for more than 50 years.

In a press conference at the Estadio Latinoamericano, various examples were mentioned about the direct consequences of the blockade in the sports field and in the development of the sports medicine, as well as other issues of great interest.

In this regard, Director of Inder's Science and Technology department Melix Ilisastigui said that the blockade hinders both the purchase of laboratory technological means and those related to education and research.

She also said that as a result of the blockade, there is a strong promotion to encourage scientific and professional workers in charge of training athletes, which damages and weakens human resources.

Cubadeportes' technical assistance director Evelio Saura said that the blockade has great economic repercussions and highlighted its extraterritorial nature, mentioning as example that in less than two years Cubadeportes has lost the markets in Ecuador, Guatemala , Colombia, Paraguay, Bahamas, Aruba and Curacao, and as a result an opportunity to have incomes for the country from that source.

The blockade also affects the Institute of Sports Medicine (IMD), mainly to obtain the worldwide accreditation of the Anti-Doping Laboratory, because the supplies and devices are purchased at almost twice the price, said IMD director Pavel Pino.

Director of the national baseball commission Yosvani Aragon referred to the direct damages to the sport, as example he said that the cash prizes for the Caribbean Series and World Baseball Classics were impossible to collect due to the blockade, and the purchase of all supplies to develop the sports at different ages is hindered for Cuba.