Cuba men's national volleyball team

Cuba
Nickname(s)	Los leones del voleibol cubano(Lions of Cuban volleyball)
Association	Federación Cubana De Voleibol
Confederation	NORCECA
Head coach	Nicolas Vives
FIVB ranking	13 (as of June 28, 2021)
Uniforms
Summer Olympics
Appearances	7 (First in 1972)
Best result	(1976)
World Championship
Appearances	14 (First in 1956)
Best result	(1990, 2010)
Olympic Games
Friendship Games
World Championship
World Cup
World League
World Grand Champions Cup
NORCECA Championship
Pan-American Cup
Central American and Caribbean Games
Goodwill Games

The Cuba men's national volleyball team (Spanish: Selección masculina de voleibol de Cuba) is the national team of Cuba. Cuba in the 1976 Summer Olympics won the bronze medal. Other achievements of the team winning one World League, one World Grand Champions Cup and fifteen NORCECA Championships. Cuba have attained two silver and two bronze World Championship medals and have won the NORCECA Championship 15 times.

Results[]

Olympic Games[]

1972 – 10th place
1976 – Bronze medal
1980 – 7th place
1992 – 4th place
1996 – 6th place
2000 – 7th place
2016 – 11th place
2020 – did not participate

World Championship[]

1956 – 19th place
1966 – 17th place
1970 – 13th place
1974 – 8th place
1978 – Bronze medal
1982 – 10th place
1986 – 5th place
1990 – Silver medal
1994 – 4th place
1998 – Bronze medal
2002 – 19th place
2006 – 15th place
2010 – Silver medal
2014 – 11th place
2018 – 18th place

World Cup[]

1969 – 9th place
1977 – Bronze medal
1981 – Silver medal
1989 – Gold medal
1991 – Silver medal
1995 – 6th place
1999 – Silver medal
2011 – 5th place

World Grand Champions Cup[]

1993 – Bronze medal
1997 – Bronze medal
2001 – Gold medal
2009 – Silver medal

World League[]

1991 – Silver medal
1992 – Silver medal
1993 – 4th place
1994 – Silver medal
1995 – Bronze medal
1996 – 4th place
1997 – Silver medal
1998 – Gold medal
1999 – Silver medal
2000 – 8th place
2001 – 5th place
2002 – 13th place
2003 – 13th place
2004 – 7th place
2005 – Bronze medal
2006 – 7th place
2007 – 7th place
2008 – 10th place
2009 – 4th place
2010 – 4th place
2011 – 8th place
2012 – Bronze medal
2013 – 13th place
2014 – 21st place
2015 – 18th place
2016 – 22nd place
2017 – withdrew from the tournament

Challenger Cup[]

2018 – 4th place
2019 – Silver medal

Pan American Games[]

1959 – 7th place
1967 – Bronze medal
1971 – Gold medal
1975 – Gold medal
1979 – Gold medal
1983 – Silver medal
1987 – Silver medal
1991 – Gold medal
1995 – Bronze medal
1999 – Gold medal
2003 – Silver medal
2007 – Bronze medal
2011 – Silver medal
2015 – 5th place
2019 – Silver medal

NORCECA Championship[]

– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Silver medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Bronze medal
– Silver medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
– Gold medal
1997 – Gold medal
1999 – Silver medal
2001 – Gold medal
2003 – Bronze medal
2005 – Silver medal
2007 – Bronze medal
2009 – Gold medal
2011 – Gold medal
2013 – Bronze medal
2015 – Silver medal
2017 – did not participate
2019 – Gold medal
2019 – 4th Place

Pan-American Cup[]

2006 – 5th place
2007 – Bronze medal
2014 – Gold medal
2016 – Gold medal
2017 – Bronze medal
2018 – Bronze medal
2019 – Gold medal

America's Cup[]

1998 – Bronze medal
1999 – 4th place
2000 – Gold medal
2001 – Silver medal
2005 – Bronze medal
2007 – Bronze medal
2008 – Gold medal

Central American and Caribbean Games[]

1930 – Silver medal
1935 – Bronze medal
1938 – Bronze medal
1946 – Gold medal
1950 – Silver medal
1954 – Bronze medal
1962 – 4th place
1966 – Gold medal
1970 – Gold medal
1974 – Gold medal
1978 – Gold medal
1982 – Gold medal
1986 – Gold medal
1990 – Gold medal
1993 – Gold medal
1998 – Gold medal
2002 – Did not participate
2006 – Silver medal
2010 – Did not participate
2014 – Bronze medal
2018 – 4th place

Goodwill Games[]

1986 – did not participate
1990 – Bronze medal

Team[]

Current squad[]

The following is the Cuban roster in the

Head coach: Nicolas Vives

No.	Name	Date of birth	Height	Weight	2020-21 Club	2021-22 Club
2	Osniel Melgarejo	18 December 1997	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	86 kg (190 lb)
3	Julio Cardenas	4 September 2000	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	98 kg (216 lb)	Tourcoing LM	Tourcoing LM
4		23 May 2001	2.04 m (6 ft 8 in)	100 kg (220 lb)	Cucine Lube Civitanova	Cucine Lube Civitanova
5	Javier Concepción	26 December 1997	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	92 kg (203 lb)	Indykpol AZS Olsztyn	Poitiers
6		1 May 1999	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	92 kg (203 lb)	GFC Ajaccio Volley-Ball
7	Yonder Garcia(L)	23 February 1993	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	78 kg (172 lb)	Ciudad Habana	Free Agent
9	Livan Osoria (C)	5 February 1994	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)	95 kg (209 lb)
13	Robertlandy Simon	11 June 1987	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	114 kg (251 lb)	Cucine Lube Civitanova	Cucine Lube Civitanova
11		4 October 1998	1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)	75 kg (165 lb)	Ciudad Habana
12	Jesus Herrera	4 April 1995	1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)	92 kg (203 lb)
14	Adrián Goide	26 June 1998	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	80 kg (180 lb)
15		24 January 1995	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	95.5 kg (211 lb)	Free Agent	Sporting CP
17		24 July 1997	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)	105 kg (231 lb)
18	Miguel Ángel López	25 March 1997	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	90 kg (200 lb)	Sada Cruzeiro	Sada Cruzeiro

Dream Team Squad[]

After 2001, many players defected from Cuba seeking better life conditions. Some of them excelled during their pro career, being more often considered the best of their positions. The following list follow 15 men throughout that period of time, that one way or another make history and were called Dream team squad.

Head coach:

No.	Name	Date of birth	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	Club
1	Wilfredo Leon Venero	31 July 1993	2.03 m (6 ft 8 in)	87 kg (192 lb)	373 cm (147 in)	346 cm (136 in)	Sir Safety Perugia
13	Robertlandy Simon	11 June 1987	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	114 kg (251 lb)	389 cm (153 in)	326 cm (128 in)	Cucine Lube Civitanova
4	Yoandry Leal	31 August 1988	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)	107 kg (236 lb)	362 cm (143 in)	341 cm (134 in)	Cucine Lube Civitanova
5	Osmany Juantorena	12 August 1985	2.00 m (6 ft 7 in)	85 kg (187 lb)	370 cm (150 in)	340 cm (130 in)	Cucine Lube Civitanova
14	Raydel Hierrezuelo	14 July 1987	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	87 kg (192 lb)	340 cm (130 in)	335 cm (132 in)	LPR Piacenza
9	Michael Sánchez	5 June 1986	2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)	100 kg (220 lb)	365 cm (144 in)	340 cm (130 in)	Korean Air Jumbos
19	Fernando Hernandez	11 September 1989	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)	78 kg (172 lb)	358 cm (141 in)	339 cm (133 in)	Halkbank
15	Oreol Camejo	22 July 1986	2.08 m (6 ft 10 in)	94 kg (207 lb)	354 cm (139 in)	326 cm (128 in)	Zenit Saint Petersburg
1	Leonel Marshall	25 September 1979	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)	96 kg (212 lb)	383 cm (151 in)	353 cm (139 in)	LPR Piacenza
7	Angel Dennis	13 June 1977	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	83 kg (183 lb)	360 cm (140 in)	330 cm (130 in)	Sporting CP
14		6 June 1972	2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)	103 kg (227 lb)	368 cm (145 in)	349 cm (137 in)	Retired

2016 Finland rape incident[]

Eight members of the Cuban national men's volleyball team, including the team's captain, were held in Tampere, Finland on suspicion of aggravated gang rape of a 35-year-old Finnish woman^[1]^[2], as of July 2016. Two of them were discarded of the claims later.^[3] The incident took place in the Hotel Ilves at Tampere where the Olympics-bound Cuban team were staying. The arrested players were scheduled to play in the Cuban team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.^[4]

On 16 August, the six team members still remaining in custody were charged with aggravated rape at Pirkanmaa District Court^[5] and the proceedings started on 29 August.^[6] On 20 September, four of the men, Osmany Santiago Uriarte Mestre, Rolando Cepeda Abreu, Ricardo Norberto Calvo Manzano and Abraham Alfonso Gavilán were given five-year jail sentences while Luis Tomás Sosa Sierra is facing a prison term of three and a half years.^[7] All men appealed, and on 30 June 2017 the Turku court of appeal decreased the length of all sentences and lifted the sentence of Sosa Sierra.^[8]

According to the New York Times, the Cuban Volleyball Association stated early on that the athletes’ behavior was counter to the “discipline the sense of honor and respect that govern our sport and society.”^[9]

In June 2017, all players convicted for aggravated rape appealed, and sentences were reduced in the case of Osmany Uriarte, Abraham Alfonso, Ricardo Calvo and the ex-captain Rolando Cepeda Abreu. Sosa was released as he was found not guilty due to lack of evidence, and he received a compensation from the government of Finland for the quantity of 200,000 euros, due to damages against his person and in his sports career.^[10]

Kit providers[]

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Cuba national volleyball team.

Period	Kit provider
2000–	Adidas Puma

Sponsorship[]

Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like Honda.

References[]

^ Kuubalaisten raiskausjutussa on käynnissä viimeinen päivä – Tämä jutusta tiedetään Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish) Aamulehti
^ Syyttäjä: Kuubalaiset käyttivät joukkoraiskauksessa väkivaltaa ja kuvasivat teon (in Finnish) Iltalehti
^ "Two Cuban volleyballers released, six still held". Yleisradio. 2016-07-04. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
^ "Members of Cuba's volleyball team detained on rape suspicions". Yleisradio. 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
^ Mansikka, Heli (2016-08-16). "Kuubalaisia lentopalloilijoita vastaan nostettiin syyte – kaikkia kuutta epäillään törkeästä raiskauksesta" [Charged pressed against Cuban volleyball players – all six suspected of aggravated rape] (in Finnish). Yleisradio. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
^ Jansson, Kaisu (2016-08-29). "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden oikeudenkäynti alkaa Tampereella" [Cuban volleyballers' trial begins in Tampere] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
^ Viidelle kuubalaispelaajalle vankeustuomio - raiskasivat naisen törkeästi Tampereella (in Finnish) Iltalehti
^ "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden raiskaustuomiot lyhenivät hovissa, yhden syyte hylättiin".
^ Bilefsky, Dan; Kuosa, Mari-Leena (20 September 2016). "5 Cuban Volleyball Players Convicted of Rape in Finland". The New York Times.
^ "Finnish woman's gang rape was filmed — documents reveal what happened that night in the Tampere hotel" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.

External links[]

FIVB profile

[AL-8-31-1] Kuubalaisten raiskausjutussa on käynnissä viimeinen päivä – Tämä jutusta tiedetään Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish) Aamulehti

[1-IL-9-20-2] Syyttäjä: Kuubalaiset käyttivät joukkoraiskauksessa väkivaltaa ja kuvasivat teon (in Finnish) Iltalehti

[2016_six_custody-3] "Two Cuban volleyballers released, six still held". Yleisradio. 2016-07-04. Retrieved 2016-08-16.

[2016_Rio_Yle-4] "Members of Cuba's volleyball team detained on rape suspicions". Yleisradio. 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-08-16.

[16_August_Yle-5] Mansikka, Heli (2016-08-16). "Kuubalaisia lentopalloilijoita vastaan nostettiin syyte – kaikkia kuutta epäillään törkeästä raiskauksesta" [Charged pressed against Cuban volleyball players – all six suspected of aggravated rape] (in Finnish). Yleisradio. Retrieved 2016-08-16.

[29_August_Yle-6] Jansson, Kaisu (2016-08-29). "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden oikeudenkäynti alkaa Tampereella" [Cuban volleyballers' trial begins in Tampere] (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 2016-08-29.

[2-IL-9-20-7] Viidelle kuubalaispelaajalle vankeustuomio - raiskasivat naisen törkeästi Tampereella (in Finnish) Iltalehti

[8] "Kuubalaisten lentopalloilijoiden raiskaustuomiot lyhenivät hovissa, yhden syyte hylättiin".

[9] Bilefsky, Dan; Kuosa, Mari-Leena (20 September 2016). "5 Cuban Volleyball Players Convicted of Rape in Finland". The New York Times.

[10] "Finnish woman's gang rape was filmed — documents reveal what happened that night in the Tampere hotel" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.

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