In a remarkable turn of events, the steadfast spirit of Cuban women is reshaping the world of boxing, a domain hitherto reserved exclusively for men. The resounding echoes of their pursuit for excellence resonate within the confines of a dimly lit boxing gym, where beads of sweat cascade and resilience prevail. Nestled in the heart of Havana, this gymnasium forms a backdrop to their audacious dreams.
Cuban Women’s Quest for Boxing Eminence
Havana, Cuba – In the heart of an unassuming boxing gym in east Havana, where the air is thick with the tang of sweat, droplets of water trickle through a ceiling crevice. Here, a small puddle lies adjacent to the ring, while women garbed in protective padding engage in sparring, and others unleash their strength upon a fraying punchbag or endure grueling sit-ups beneath the fading visage of boxing luminary Teófilo Stevenson—a Cold War titan who captured three Olympic gold medals.
Cuba, renowned for its prowess in amateur boxing, has garnered an impressive tally of 41 Olympic boxing gold medals, a feat surpassed only by the United States. In the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the island nation clinched four boxing golds. Nevertheless, it is solely the realm of men that has thus far adorned itself with the laurels of boxing glory.
In a nation where gender stereotypes run deep, women were permitted to train, yet were precluded from ascending into the ring to compete or even spar. This dynamic metamorphosed in December, as the Cuban Boxing Federation dispelled its prohibition on women’s boxing and heralded the genesis of a national women’s team.
A Triumph in the Making
While Olympic qualification customarily demands years of diligent preparation, members of the Cuban national team—some of whom donned boxing gloves a mere seven months prior—are diligently working towards securing a berth at the Paris Olympics next year.
Karen Cantillo, a featherweight contender, avows, “My aspiration shifted when the approval for women’s boxing arrived. I now yearn to be a champion, to seize medals, and to etch my name in history.”
A Struggle Against Precedence
The Olympic arena witnessed a historic juncture in 2012 when female boxers partook for the first time. However, as their male compatriots returned triumphant, Cuban women could merely watch from the sidelines. This pattern persisted in subsequent editions—RÃo de Janeiro in 2016 and the 2020 Tokyo Games deferred to 2021 due to the pandemic.
Ironically, over the past decade, the decision to bar female boxers from competition seemed increasingly incongruous. The Cuban state, which champions women’s rights and equality, paradoxically persisted in this anomaly. Notably, the National Sports Institute (INDER) had long permitted women’s participation in various contact sports like wrestling, taekwondo, and judo at the Olympics.
Anomalies Amid Global Trends
While an array of countries affiliated with the International Boxing Association (IBA) embraced women’s boxing, Cuba remained an outlier in this regard.
Cuban Boxing Federation’s President, Alberto Puig de la Barca, elucidates that the prohibition’s rationale was rooted in concerns for safety. He attests that years of meticulous investigations were undertaken to ascertain the safeguarding of athletes, particularly the potential impact on women’s bodies, including pregnancy.
As the ban dissipates, female boxers now undergo periodic pregnancy tests and are mandated to wear protective padding. However, it is evident that the resistance was entrenched in a culture of chauvinism and an overbearing paternalistic stance on women’s welfare.
Transformation Amid Resilience
The year 2009 marked a pivotal milestone as the International Olympic Committee sanctioned women’s boxing. Yet, in that very year, Pedro Roque, the head coach of Cuba’s men’s team, conveyed a patronizing sentiment: “Cuban women are meant to showcase their elegance, not endure punches.”
Amid a recent training session, Karen Cantillo passionately proclaims the injustice. “The incongruity has forever perplexed me. While men may surpass us in physical strength, women emanate unparalleled mental resilience. Hence, the prohibition befuddled me,” she asserts.
Melany de la Caridad Girado, her sparring partner, shares this sentiment. “We were barred from boxing, a sport presumed to be exclusive to men. Women were tethered to domesticity,” Girado laments.
The Resurgence of Hope
Elation replaced frustration when December brought news of the ban’s revocation, accompanied by plans for a national women’s team. Lives underwent a paradigm shift overnight. Elianni de la Caridad Garcia, a flyweight boxer who had previously toiled in a primary school kitchen, exuberantly welcomed the news, jubilantly acknowledging, “Years of anticipation culminated in this moment. This triumph belongs to women.”
Lianet Gomez, captain of the team, embraced boxing a mere week prior to national trials. A former national karate team representative, she observes, “I had donned the gloves for the first time. This transition embodies a personal odyssey.”
As the state televised women’s boxing and dismantled the ban, societal perceptions underwent a seismic shift. Karen Cantillo recollects how she used to be scrutinized in public, encountering disdainful comments that deemed boxing unfit for women. However, Cantillo affirms, “Those disparaging remarks have dissipated since the ban’s revocation.”
A Journey of Sacrifice and Triumph
The twelve women who constitute the national team—two per weight category—have relinquished their former occupations. Aligned with the protocols for elite Cuban athletes, they now receive remuneration, albeit under modest living conditions: bunk beds for rest and frigid water for cleansing.
In April, the team embarked on their international debut at the ALBA Games, a tournament predominantly attended by left-wing Latin American and Caribbean nations. Subsequently, six of the finest athletes contested in the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador in June, amassing two bronze medals and a silver.
Legnis Cala, a 32-year-old featherweight pugilist who transformed from a housewife to a silver medalist within months, reflects, “I am living my dream—representing my nation at global events, unfurling the flag, and ascending the podium with medals.”
The saga of Cuba’s resolute female boxers serves as a testament to unwavering determination, a triumph over deeply entrenched gender norms, and a celebration of the human spirit’s indomitable resilience. As these formidable athletes carve their path toward the Paris Olympics, their journey echoes not only within the ring but across the annals of history, embodying the essence of equality and progress.
