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Post by garuda70 on Aug 7, 2008 16:34:09 GMT -5
sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/wires/08/07/2080.ap.oly.vol.italy.aguero/Italy women's volleyball player Aguero leaves team BEIJING (AP) -Italian women's volleyball player Taismary Aguero left Beijing on Thursday to travel to Cuba, where her mother is seriously ill, volleyball's international federation announced. Aguero will miss at least three pool matches for Italy, which opens Olympic play on Saturday against Russia. Alberto Rabiti, head of the Italian delegation, said Aguero was expected to be back in time for the quarterfinals. "As we plan to see her coming back to Beijing soon, there will be no substitute to make up for her absence. They (the players) will remain 11,'' Rabiti said. Aguero, 31, was born in Cuba but was granted Italian citizenship last year. An opposite, she played for the Cuban national team in the 1990s before moving to Italy in 2001. She is a veteran of the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. Coach Massimo Barbolini said Aguero's concern about her mother was the top priority. "All the other considerations come after her decision to go to Cuba to be with her 61-year-old mother,'' he said in a statement released by the federation, FIVB. "Her absence in the first games of the Olympic Tournament is one more obstacle for us but this is a team used to overcoming adversity, gritting their teeth and going forward anyway. I am confident the team will do it this time as well,'' he said. Italy opens play on Saturday against Russia.
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Post by VolleyTX on Aug 7, 2008 16:55:36 GMT -5
Wow!
What is the format for the Olympics again? The top 4 from each pool make it to the crossover? Even though they rely on her to produce a lot of point, I think they should finish fourth. I don't really see them being able to beat Russia, Serbia or Brazil without her. They sure as heck better beat both Kazakhstan and Algeria.
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Post by OverAndUnder on Aug 7, 2008 17:36:58 GMT -5
Yes, the top four teams in each pool advance to the Quarterfinals. Italy should be fine. Heck, they may even take a match from one of the other top teams. Aguero is a point-scoring machine from any position, but even the other top teams in that pool have demonstrated an ability to lose against inferior competition.
I wonder about the political implications for Aguero. It would certainly earn bad press for Cuba to harass an Olympian trying to visit her sick mother, but the government there has ample reason to hate her.
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Post by Phaedrus on Aug 7, 2008 18:44:48 GMT -5
Vaya con Dios!
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Post by tenniscraze on Aug 7, 2008 21:54:42 GMT -5
Big loss, but Piccinini will step up anyway.
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Post by baywatcher on Aug 8, 2008 0:10:54 GMT -5
How sad and stressful for her and her team. Condolences if there is any way for this to reach her. Hope she makes it back ready to play and mentally into the tournament.
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Post by cardfan15 on Aug 8, 2008 4:12:15 GMT -5
Not to make light of the issue, but I have tickets to watch an Italy match and was so looking forward to to seeing Aguero. Although I think Italy will be fine, this can't be good.
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Post by sIsam on Aug 8, 2008 15:12:52 GMT -5
Cuba denies her entry so she is headed back to Beijing...
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Post by Phaedrus on Aug 8, 2008 15:19:17 GMT -5
Cuba denies her entry so she is headed back to Beijing... Which is Cuba's way of messing with her head. Chancho!!
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Post by digit on Aug 8, 2008 15:24:57 GMT -5
Cuba denies her entry so she is headed back to Beijing... That sucks.
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Post by pumpkin on Aug 8, 2008 16:14:24 GMT -5
that's being real shaddy...
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Post by OverAndUnder on Aug 8, 2008 16:39:27 GMT -5
It's not any more shady than China expecting people to abide by Chinese law while they're in Beijing. Aguero is effectively a fugitive from what passes for justice in Cuba. The USA also denies entry to known felon aliens, or it arrests them on the spot for prosecution.
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Post by Tiruray2004 on Aug 8, 2008 16:55:33 GMT -5
It's not any more shady than China expecting people to abide by Chinese law while they're in Beijing. Aguero is effectively a fugitive from what passes for justice in Cuba. The USA also denies entry to known felon aliens, or it arrests them on the spot for prosecution. If that's the case, then Willoughby shoud have been denied entry by China.
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Post by YellowC on Aug 8, 2008 18:17:35 GMT -5
Did all the players from the great Cuban team of the 90s defect?
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Post by Nutter on Aug 8, 2008 19:00:08 GMT -5
Cuba denies her entry so she is headed back to Beijing... Did Cuba really? I was kinda wondering if they'd let her back in.
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