Julio César La Cruz and Roniel Iglesias, members of the boxing team for the 2021 Olympics, admitted with COVID

July 8, 2021

According to sources close to the Olympic team, heavyweight Julio César La Cruz and welterweight Roniel Iglesias are hospitalized at the Hospital Naval Luis Díaz Soto, in East Havana

Just days before the Cuban delegation participating in the Olympic Games travels to Tokyo, two boxers are admitted to this Havana hospital with Covid-19.

Although both have been asymptomatic, time is working against them and they could miss the Olympic Games, where both are among Cuba's main hopes for obtaining medals.

Once they no longer have traces of the virus in their bodies, they will need several days to return to training, added to the need to travel beforehand to the Japanese capital to adjust to the time difference.

La Cruz, from Camagüey, was Olympic champion in the 81 kilograms category in Rio de Janeiro´2016 and is also a four-time world champion and three-time Pan American titleholder.

For his part, Iglesias, from Pinar del Río, won Olympic gold in London´2012 and silver in Beijing´2008.

Cuba will take 69 athletes in 15 disciplines, its most reduced delegation in decades, with which it aspires, nevertheless, to rank among the top 20 countries in the Olympic Games, which will begin on July 23.