DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Cuban baseball player Misael Siverio has told a Spanish-language newspaper he is defecting to the United States.
Siverio was part of the Cuban national team that traveled to Iowa for an exhibition game against a collegiate all-star team from the U.S. But he tells El Nuevo Herald in Miami he made the decision to leave his country "for my future and my family."
Team USA CEO Paul Seiler tells The Associated Press that, from Cuba's perspective, Siverio is no longer a member of their delegation.
Seiler and Antonio Becali, the head of the Cuban delegation, declined further comment to AP.
