Posted on April 12, 2012
It’s official.
Cuban international defender Yosmel de Armas has defected to the United States.
De Armas, who left the Cuban National Team during the CONCACAF men’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Nashville, Tenn. on March 26, is seeking asylum in the U.S., according to
Alex Solomiany, a Miami-based attorney, said De Armas not only was not in the hotel at game time, he was en route to Miami, arriving either March 26 or March 27, after taking a bus from Nashville.
De Armas contacted the attorney on Tuesday, on the recommendation of others in the Cuban community, Solomiany told Reuters.
“I’m representing him pro bono,” Solomiany was quoted by Reuters.
Solomiany said he hoped to file an application with the Department of Homeland Security in two or three days.
The attorney said de Armas was “nervous. He’s alone here.”
After Cuba came back to tie Canada in stoppage time in its final Group A match, 1-1, on March 26, Cuba coach Raul Triana Gonzalez said he wasn’t with the team.
“He’s feeling very sick yesterday in practice,” Gonzalez said. “He injured his ankle. He was in the hotel. Something else happened. I don’t know about that.”
Many other Cuban soccer players who have defected to the United States at CONCACAF men’s and women’s Olympic qualifiers, CONCACAF Gold Cups and World Cup qualifiers.
Categories: Caribbean, CONCACAF, Cuba, Olympic Qualifying
Tags: Alex Solomiany, CONCACAF men's Olympic qualifying tournament, Raul Triana Gonzalez, Yosmel de Armas
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