Cuba allows women's boxing again after more than 60 years

HAVANA (CUBA), 6 Dec. (dpa/EP) -

Cuba has decided this Tuesday to allow women's boxing again, for the first time since the revolution more than 60 years ago, recovering "what was lost" and after carrying out a study and analysis, as confirmed at a press conference by representatives of the National Institute of Sports, Cuban Physical Education and Recreation (Inder).

Women's boxing was banned in Cuba after the 1959 revolution led by Fidel Castro, arguing that the sport was too dangerous for women.

"We are going to recover what was lost. A deep study was carried out. We did not let ourselves be pressured by time. Today is the day we are convinced, after all the investigations carried out. It is a safe step, it is the moment and we will not take any risk ", affirmed the national commissioner, Alberto Puig de la Barca, in statements published by the Cuba Debate medium collected by Europa Press.

Following the announcement, the Cuban federation will carry out a two-stage plan. The first will be the starting point to create a "team with a minimum of preparation" to get medals in a "short" period of time in the Central American and Caribbean tournaments, with a second phase that sets the horizon for the Games.

Cuban women's boxing will resurface again with a selection of 12 women for the Central American and Caribbean championships, which will come from an event that will be held on December 16 and 17 with a total of 42 participants. "The priority has been combat athletes, due to their similar physical preparation. They would need an intensive of the technical-tactical elements of boxing, and we will give the possibility to women from the rest of the country, who have historically practiced it for health or sport ", he recounted.

The vice president of Inder, Ariel Sainz, justified the return of Cuban women's boxing for the equal rights between men and women enshrined in the 2019 Constitution. In the case of men, this possibility was not reintroduced until last April, for the first time since 1962, while women's boxing has been an Olympic sport since 2012.

"Cuba is a benchmark for international boxing. It would be counterproductive not to incorporate our women with the steps that the IBA has taken. Of the 202 affiliated countries, women's boxing is practiced in 186," Sainz explained.