In a great indication of how seriously President Obama takes human rights abuses in Cuba, the U.S. State Department has announced that it will send former basketball great Shaquille O’Neal as a sports envoy to the communist country this weekend.
Shaq will be our first official “U.S. Department of State Basketball Sports Envoy to Cuba.”
Building on the momentum of President Obama’s historic March trip to Cuba, hall of famer Shaquille O’Neal, a 15 time National Basketball Association (NBA) all-star, will serve as a U.S. Department of State Sports Envoy to Cuba from June 25–28. This people-to-people program taps into the unique strength of sports—including basketball—to reach out to young people and promote cooperation and engagement in Cuba.
While in Cuba, O’Neal will be joined by Dallas Mavericks Assistant Coach Kaleb Canales to lead basketball clinics for youth and demonstrate how sports can serve as a means of developing academic, leadership, and teamwork skills. O’Neal will draw on his personal basketball and business background to highlight the importance of social inclusion and respect for diversity. During his time in the country, O’Neal will visit historically significant cultural sites in Havana to encourage positive ties between the U.S. and Cuban people.
Ah, yes, the “momentum” of Obama’s visit where he tangoed and watched baseball with Cuban dictator Raul Castro. Maybe dancing and baseball didn’t work but surely basketball will bring freedom to the Cuban people, thank goodness we have a State Department that thought of that brilliant idea!
But, unless Shaq is bringing some defectors home with him – several basketball players have seized the opportunity to escape the “socialist paradise” in the past – this will just end up being another propaganda trip to prop up communist Cuba. Shame!
What do you think about Shaq as “Sports Envoy” to Cuba? Will sports diplomacy work to bring freedom to Cuba? Join the discussion below!
