|
AP. Tue Aug 27,10:02 AM ET.
Yahoo!
LISBON, Portugal - Two top Cuban fencers failed to return to Cuba with their
team after visiting Portugal for the world championship, the Cuban embassy in
Lisbon said Tuesday.
The fencers, Elvis Gregory and Ivan Trebejo, did not join their team when it
left Portugal on Saturday, said Mercedes Martinez, the embassy's charge
d'affaires.
"We haven't heard from them or any authority about where they are. They
could be in France, Spain or Portugal for all we know," she said.
In December 2001, six members of Cuba's volleyball team visiting Belgium for
a tournament deserted the squad and caught a train to Italy where they
reportedly wanted to play professional volleyball.
The Cuban government does not publish the number of defectors and its
state-owned media rarely reports on cases.
Portugal's government had no immediate comment on the two fencers.
(nw/dw) | 
