Page 53 - Olympism in Socialism

Year School Social Total
participation participation
1962 104,231 104,231 -
1976 2,671,973 2,121,754 4,793,727
In the 1975 National School Games, 22 sports
items were inc1udd, with 4,626 participants,
while in that year’s Youth Games, 1,818 athletes
competed in 17 events.
In 1976, 63,157 women participated in basic
gymnastics; 16,802 attended gymnastics classes
at their work centres; and 90,531 physical
efficiency classes.
Cuba is affiliated to 81 international
organizations; it has 160 international umpires.
It has organised two national games for workers,
and three military sports meets of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR).
One of the most outstanding happenings, in
Cuba in the sphere of sports was the Resolution
of INDER (March 19, 1962), under which
professionalism in sports was banned in the
country.
There is noteworthy attendance at all the
world championships held in the country, as well
as in the traditional international tournaments “C
apabi an ca in Memoriam” (chess), “Fonts in
Memoriam” (fencing), “Barrientos Memorial”
(athletics), Round Cuba Cycling Tour and others.
The holding of contests in the remotest corners of
the country (Sierra Maestra, Escambray,
Cordillera de los Organos and others) has
popularised sports throughout the length and
breadth of its territory.
Much of the success of Cuba in the field of
sports is the result of the assistance given by the
socialist camp, which sends every year about 50
coaches who come from the Soviet Union, the
German Democratic Republic, Bulgaria,

42