Sports / Off the Field
Brazil-Cuba rivalry heats up at Pan American Games
(AP)
Updated: 2007-07-23 17:14
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil _ A scuffle between Brazilian and Cuban fans at
the judo forced the hasty departure of Brazil Sports Minister Orlando
Silva in the latest flare-up in the nations' rivalry at the Pan American
Games on Sunday.
Home fans were upset after a judge gave Cuban Sheila Espinosa the victory
over Brazil's Erika Miranda in the under 52-kilogram (114-pound) women's
final.
The fans began booing and throwing plastic cups and other objects at the
judge and Espinosa. At the same time, an altercation began in the stands
after fans were upset with the celebration of members of the Cuban
delegation, which included former athletes such as volleyballer Regla
Torres.
Brazil's former Olympic champion Aurelio Miguel, a commentator for a
local TV station, also got involved in the melee.
No punches were thrown but security guards intervened and removed the
Cubans from the site for their safety.
The competition was delayed for about an hour because of the scuffle, and
the crowed booed the announcement of the medal ceremonies.
At the end, fighters and delegation members from both nations got
together and shook hands.
In an earlier Brazil-Cuba final, Yanet Bermoy defeated Brazil's Daniela
Polzin in the U48 (106) women's class.
"I was surprised with the boos at the medal ceremony," said Yosmani Pike,
who took silver to Argentina's Miguel Albarracin in the men's U60 (132)
class. "The Brazilian people's opinion does not matter, the medal is
mine."
On Thursday, Brazilian fans were angered after a judo judge, reportedly
born in Cuba and naturalized American, awarded Cuba's Oscar Brayson a
disputed victory over Brazilian Joao Gabriel Schlittler.
Brazilians have been turned off by Cuba since the latter upset the home
side in a thrilling women's volleyball final on Thursday, and some Cuban
players provoked the local crowd after the medal ceremonies.
On Friday, Cuba defeated Brazil 6-5 in the women's water polo
bronze-medal match, keeping the Brazilians from reaching the podium for
the first time since the event began being played in 1999 in Winnipeg.
The next day, Cuban cyclist Yumari Gonzalez won the women's road race and
prompted complaints from Brazilian athletes who accused the Cuban team of
pushing them.
Brazil has beaten Cuba in the finals of women's beach volleyball and
women's handball without incident, but on Sunday, Cuban Mariela Gonzalez
beat Brazilians Marcia Narloch and Sirlene Pinho in the women's marathon.
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