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SPORTS Saturday 24 auguSt 2019

MLB bans players from Venezuelan Winter League

NEW YORK (AP) — Major uro’s socialist government pete in championships.
League Baseball is banning earlier this month, putting Venezuela’s state-owned
players from participating the nation on a short list of oil company, known as
in the Venezuelan Winter U.S. adversaries — includ- PDVSA, has been a major
League in one of the first ing Cuba, North Korea and sponsor of the nation’s pro-
public repercussions of new Iran — targeted with such fessional baseball league.
U.S. economic sanctions aggressive financial mea- The Trump administration
against the Venezuelan sures. also sanctioned PDVSA
government. The Wall Street Journal re- earlier this year as part of a
MLB said Thursday it is in ported that MLB’s deci- continuing effort to starve
contact with the U.S. gov- sion also applies to minor the Maduro administration
ernment to determine how league players, but it won’t of cash and support oppo-
to proceed under the new prevent Venezuelan play- sition leader Juan Guaidó.
sanctions against President ers from returning home The Venezuelan league did - In this April 21, 2018, file photo, Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, of
Nicolás Maduro’s adminis- during the offseason. not immediately respond Venezuela, prepares to bat during the third inning of a baseball
tration and at least tempo- Venezuela has long served to a request for comment. game against the Kansas City Royals in Detroit.
rarily suspending involve- as an important incubator Back in the heyday of Ven- Associated Press
ment in the league. for big league talent, but ezuela’s oil-fueled eco- mering political standoff contracts directly with MLB
The Venezuelan Winter in recent years the relation- nomic boom in the 1960s, have lured fewer, though organizations.
League is one many that ship has steadily deterio- Pete Rose wore a Caracas Venezuelans have re- The Obama policy al-
major league players use rated amid a political crisis Leones jersey right after mained steadfast in their lowed the major leagues
to hone their skills in the off- and economic contraction his rookie season. Ameri- passion for the American to pay the Cuban Baseball
season. far worse than the Great can players continued to pastime. Federation a release fee
“MLB will fully adhere to the Depression. MLB teams flock to the league up un- It’s not the first time poli- equal to 25% of each Cu-
policies implemented by have shut down their acad- til recent years, attracted tics has interfered with ban player’s signing bonus.
our government,” MLB an- emies in Venezuela and no by the opportunity to play baseball during the Trump U.S. law prohibits virtually
nounced in a statement. longer send scouts. with talented teams before administration. Earlier this all payments to the Cuban
President Donald Trump’s Teams of young, aspiring packed stadiums full of en- year, the Treasury Depart- government under the 60-
administration issued a Venezuelan baseball play- thusiastic fans. ment moved to reverse year embargo, but MLB ar-
broad ban blocking com- ers now regularly rely on Security issues, six-digit hy- an Obama administration gued the Cuban baseball
panies and individuals from Venezuelan MLB stars to perinflation, growing flight decision allowing Cuban league was not formally
doing business with Mad- help finance trips to com- cancellations and a sim- baseball players to sign part of the state.q