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3
Cuban athletes defect at Pan Am Games
Yahoo!
August 19, 2003.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Three Cuban
athletes have defected to the Dominican Republic,
where they were competing in the Pan American
Games, an official said Tuesday.
The defections occurred during the international
competition, which started Aug. 1 and ended Sunday,
said Gen. Fernando Cruz, director of the Dominican
intelligence agency.
Cruz refused to give further details on the defections.
To diminish the potential for further defections,
Dominican officials doubled security during the
Pan Am baseball final Aug. 12 between the United
States and Cuba.
Soldiers in camouflage stood around the Cuban
dugout during batting practice and guarded much
of the section where Cuba's delegation was seated.
Some gates that had previously been open during
the tournament were locked and guarded.
Defections by Cuban athletes are not rare. Two
Cuban gymnasts participating in the World Championships
defected Tuesday in Anaheim, Calif.
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