Cuba calls squad home

The Cuban government have ordered a group of Cuban athletes to leave their training camp near Madrid after the war of words between the Spanish and Cuban governments reached breaking point.

The dispute centres on the Cuban-born long jumping champion Niurka Montalvo, who hoped to compete for her new country in next month's Sydney Olympics. She took Spanish nationality in 1999 after marrying a Spaniard, although she has lived in the country for many years.

As a winner in the world athletics championships in Seville last summer, having won a silver for Cuba four years previously, Montalvo was one of Spain's greatest hopes for an Olympic gold medal.

Under the Olympic charter, Cuba is within its rights to refuse to sanction her place in the Spanish team. Section 46.2 of the charter states that an athlete who changes nationality must wait three years before competing for a new country, unless the country of their birth gives authorisation.

Spanish officials point out that Chinese athlete Yue Ling Chen competed for China in the 20 km walk in the 1992 games in Barcelona and took US nationality only this year. But thanks to an agreement between Beijing and Washington, she will be allowed to compete for her new nation.

Jose Maria Odriozolo, president of the Spanish athletics federation, complained that the decision is more political than sporting. He said that after several sportsmen have used overseas competitions to escape and move abroad. But since Montalvo is already resident in Spain the case does not apply.

"I spoke to Alberto Juantorena and Jesus Molina, president and secretary of the Cuban athletics federation, and they said they had no objection to her competing under the Spanish flag. But it seems the order came from the very top of the Cuban government. They want to make an example of her for other athletes," he said.

He will discuss the matter with the IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was not optimistic they would change their minds.

The veteran Cuban athlete Juantorena denied he ever agreed to Montalvo using her new nationality. He compared the Spanish attitude to "a colonial attitude not far removed from their colonial behaviour of the last century. The Cuban attitude is our ethical and moral answer to the growing phenomenon of the destruction of sport in the third world."

For the past 15 years the small town of Gudalajara, 50 miles from Madrid, has been a training base for Cuban sportsmen. They made their home in a local hotel, integrated with the locals and had full use of all the sporting facilities. But late on Saturday night the 17 athletes and officials in Guadalajara were ordered by their federation to leave Spain immediately.

So sudden was the decision that they arrived at the airport without reservations. Only eight were able to get seats on the first flight, while the others had to wait until room could be found on a later flight.

"They didn't want to go. Many of them were in tears when they left. We will miss them," said hotel owner Jose Martin, whose hotel is decorated with dozens of photographs, autographs and memorabilia.