The Cuba Cinco are true American heroes

That image right there is courtesy Grant Wahl's very fine FanNation blog and it showcases five very brave American heroes who are willing to defy official persecution to support their country's national team.

Here's Wahl:

HAVANA, Cuba -- The U.S. national soccer team arrived here yesterday from Miami for its first-ever World Cup qualifier against Cuba, but they weren’t the only Americans who found their way to Havana. On Thursday night I met up in the Plaza Vieja with five hardcore U.S. soccer fans who defied the U.S. government’s ban on unlicensed travel to Cuba and got into the country by flying separately through a third country.

I won’t be naming them here for obvious reasons, so I’ll call them the Cuba Cinco: four men and one woman ranging in ages from 28 to 38 and hailing from California (two), New York (two) and Colorado.

I have blogged several times this year over the completely gutless lack of effort from U.S. Soccer to arrange a way for US soccer fans to travel to Cuba to support the Rattlers in our WCQ against the Red Menace on Saturday. (Here, here and here.) And what did the esteemed home of the world's game on these domestic shores do about it? Not. One. Damn. Thing. They hid behind the old "The U.S. State Department says...." wussy excuse.

Now comes Wahl profiling these five true patriots who are rising to the occasion and taking matters into their own hands to support our country and our team. As one of the Cuba Cinco say, this is not about politics. This is about our team.

“It was pretty much a no-brainer,” said one who travels to every U.S. road qualifier. “The U.S. is playing Cuba and we follow the U.S. team. Then there’s the historical significance of the game. For people who are really fans you can’t miss it. The team’s playing here, embargo be damned. We’re not going to make a political statement. We’re just going to watch the game and take in a new culture.”

And this, my favorite part of the story:

The Cuba Cinco says they’re aware of the risks that come with traveling to Cuba. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, criminal penalties for violating U.S. sanctions against spending money in Cuba range up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in individual fines. Yet it’s hard to imagine a Stars-and-Stripes-waving U.S. fan would face such harsh punishments.

“I’m fine with [the risks],” said one. “I don’t mind being the person that ends up asking for a hearing and then becoming the big constitutional civil rights case. Because I don’t think it’s constitutional for the U.S. to make it illegal for Americans to spend their money in Cuba.”

“If you think about it, too,” added another, “we’re here to support the U.S. national team in another country. If they were going to make an example of us, what kind of example would that set?”

“I will go anywhere our team plays to support our team, which is thereby supporting our country,” said another. “I’m not doing this to hold the middle finger up to the country or the government or anything like that. It’s just that I don’t really care about any arbitrary law that’s going to restrict my ability to travel. We’re supposed to be free. I consider that to extend to the right to travel.”

All five admit they were nervous coming into Cuba and will be again when they return to the States. But each one said the effort and the risks are worth it. “We all know that [the U.S. players] are coming to a stadium where their fans are outnumbered 10,000 to 1,” one said. “I want to be that one guy there supporting them--and show that I’m a fan and I’m willing to spend my own nickel and come out here to see you play.”

“Do the U.S. players know they have fans coming out to support them in Cuba?” one member of the Cuba Cinco finally asked.

I told them I didn’t think so.

“Well, they’ll have at least five.”

More power to them. Read more!

Thanks for nothing U.S. Soccer, you bunch of wusses

Last March, I joined a group of bloggers in posting about the need for US Soccer fans to put some pressure on the US Soccer Federation to put together a travel plan for fans who want to travel to Cuba to watch our Rattlers take on los Cubanos in World Cup qualifying later this year. Well, we finally have our answer from the USSF, and what a (hmmm, what is the proper blogger term here) completely flaccid, wussy, tepid, completely unbecoming of a major competitor nation sort of response it is. Follow the link or check it out here:

Men's National Team
Information Regarding Travel To Cuba

CHICAGO (July 14, 2008) - In the past few months, U.S. Soccer has received numerous inquires from U.S. fans that are interested in traveling to Cuba for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Sept. 6.

U.S. Soccer has been informed by the United States Department of Treasury (the United States Government agency of jurisdiction with respect to regulating travel to Cuba), that travel to Cuba for tourism or for the purposes of observing specific public performances, including sporting events, is prohibited under U.S. law.

While U.S. Soccer is unable to assist fans wishing to make the trip, the match will be shown live on ESPN2 and Galavision to provide our fans the chance to follow the team's continuing efforts to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

You mean to tell me that the USSF, a non-profit organization set up for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of celebrating the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, is prohibited from organizing a group of American fans to go celebrate those self-same United States?! This is beyond stupid and is easily the most moronic sporting situation I have ever encountered.

Now, I know the USSF can just throw up their collective hands, point to the Treasury Department, and say "Hey, it isn't us. Them's the rules and they make the rules." But that would be just another capitulation showcasing a lack of imagination and guts.

Non-profit organizations make trips to Cuba all the time for a variety of reasons, and while I know that the embargo (the overall value of which is a discussion for another time and place) exists and has its rules, I also know that it is directed not at nonprofits, but rather at individuals who might spend money to enrich the targeted nation, in this case Cuba.

After all, US Soccer is already organizing, in the words of their release, travel "for the purposes of observing specific public performances, including sporting events." Or do they not plan on bringing anyone from the front office, including Sunil Gulati? If the USSF were to organize a fan trip just for the game and for the game only, to return at the conclusion of it, I fail to see how this would violate the terms of the embargo as listed in the USSF's "I didn't do it, it's them" release.

Morons. Read more!

Prospective U.S. invasion of Cuba enters second phase

In keeping with the previous post, I have now written and sent my letter to the US Soccer Federation in order to get those guys to help American supporters attend the US-Cuba World Cup qualifier, most likely to be held in Cuba, this fall.

Now, usually when it comes to something like a letter-writing campaign, I put it off and put it off until I remember, usually when I'm driving or at work or in the shower or far too late with a "Oh yeah, wasn't I going to...." sort of thing. Not this time. So to further help you, I've posted my letter below. Feel free to copy and paste it into your own letter to the USSF. Or you can send it to them at this site. They need to hear from you as soon as possible as arrangements of this sort take time, and the earlier they can get a head start on this, the better. It may eventually do no good at all, but at least we can all say we've tried right?

March 8, 2008

U.S. Soccer Federation
1801 S. Prairie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616

To Whom It May Concern

As a US MNT supporter, I would like to ask the USSF what your office plans to do to accommodate the wishes of others like myself who wish to support our team when it (most likely) will play the national team of the Republic of Cuba in Havana this fall?

I am fully aware that a strict economic embargo is in effect, limiting travel and financial transactions with that country. However, since this is a World Cup qualifier, no less, with all of the seriousness that brings with it, I would like to request that the USSF do all it can to assist supporters of the American side who would like to attend the game and root for our national team. Following on with other supporters who have contacted you, I suggest the following actions:

1. Apply to the State Department for a cultural exchange permit for a group of US supporters to accompany the team.

2. Arrange for a charter flight that could fly the group in (on the same schedule as our team) and out of Cuba.

Your support for a legal group of US Supporters traveling to Cuba would reduce the chance of Americans traveling to Cuba through third countries on their own, an illegal act. However, that is the kind of enthusiasm involved here, from American fans who simply want to cheer on the American national side participating in a FIFA World Cup Qualifying round.

Of course, though it is not the USSF’s job to engage in international diplomacy, in the current climate of political change in Cuba, however slight that may be, this simple game could be the beginning of a bridge of understanding between our two antagonistic countries. For this and for the plain reason of helping Americans provide the maximum amount of support for the American national team, I request your help in facilitating ease of transport to this game.

Sincerely, Read more!

U.S. Invasion of Cuba? Write the USSF and make it happen

Anyone up for a road trip this September? Beautiful Caribbean setting... beaches.. birthplace of rum.... and the US Men's National Team providing just that little extra spice of total smackdown. Oh, one little problem, the State Department might arrest you when you get back.

WHA????

Thanks to MLS Underground for posting about this issue. As reported on that site, Sven Serrano, a US supporter living in Japan, is asking all members of the US Soccer online community to write a letter to the US Soccer Federation to find a legal way for US supporters to get to go to Cuba this September to watch the USMNT play against el amenaza de rojo in CONCACAF early qualifying for World Cup 2010.


This is a World Cup qualifying round match, and the mere thought that the US team would go to Cuba of all places, -- Cuba! which is only 90 miles from Key West -- and not have a single American fan in the stands is a reprehensible notion. I understand the boycott, yeah, yeah. I understand the human rights violations, yeah, yeah. I understand that the Senators might have signed Fidel all those years ago to a minor league deal, yeah yeah. But come on here. This is the US heading south ready and willing to bust...that...team...UP. There has to be a way to make this happen.

What follows below the vid is Serrano's letter, as posted on the MLS Underground. Feel free to copy and send this to the USSF, or even better, write your own similarly-themed piece, and tell a friend to do the same.

U.S. Soccer Federation
1801 S. Prairie Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
Phone: (312) 808-1300
Fax: (312) 808-1301 ­ ­
­

Dear Sirs

As a USMNT supporter who has been to two World Cups and several WC Qualifiers, both home and away, I would like to ask the USSF what your office plans to do to accommodate the wishes of numerous US supporters who have stated their intention to support our team when it (most likely) will play the national team of the Republic of Cuba in Havana this Fall?

We are all aware that a strict economic embargo is in effect, limiting travel and financial transactions with that country. However, should the USSF decide to support the fans who wish to travel to Cuba to cheer our team on, you could do the following:

1. Apply to the State Department for a cultural exchange permit for a small group of US supporters (200-300) to accompany the team. ­ ­ ­ ­

2. Arrange for a charter flight that could fly the group in (on the same schedule as our team) and out of Cuba.

Your support for a legal group of US Supporters traveling to Cuba would reduce the chance Americans traveling to Cuba through 3rd countries on their own, thus breaking U.S. laws and running the risk being charged and fined by US Customs upon their return for the simple reason that they wanted to cheer on an American soccer team participating the FIFA World Cup Qualifying round. ­

American soccer has friends in the House and Senate who could support any move you make on this project. Even President Bush called the team before our match against Mexico in 2002 so perhaps he could be asked to intervene personally in this matter and lift the restrictions just this one time. ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ Cuba is at a turning point in its history. I remember a certain American table tennis team that was instrumental in opening up the People’s Republic of China in 1970. A group of American soccer supporters could perhaps do just the same thing in 2008.

Sincerely, Sven A.Serrano

Setsunan University, Osaka Japan

Read more!