Mayor invites Fidel to see Edmonton for himself
Castro, angry about defecting athletes, calls Alberta city a dumping ground
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel is offering former Cuban leader Fidel Castro a free trip to his city to see what a great place it is.
Mandel made the offer after Castro branded Edmonton as a "dumping ground" for Cuban athletes.
Castro was angry that two Cuban baseball players defected during a recent tournament in the Alberta capital.
Writing in the online version of the Cuban newspaper Granma, Castro said the actions of pitcher Noel Argueilles and shortstop Jose Antonio Iglesias were a "despicable betrayal."
Argueilles and Iglesias, both 18, have not been seen since their game against Team Canada last Sunday and are believed to have defected.
Castro said defections have cost Cuba five gold medals in the coming Beijing Olympics.
Two players from the Cuban team defected in 2000 after another junior baseball tournament wrapped up in Edmonton.