Legendary Cuban judo coach Ronaldo Veitía dies in Havana

Cuban judo coach Ronaldo Veitía died this Monday at the age of 75 at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital in Havana, where he was admitted.

Born in 1945 in the Cotorro municipality of Havana, Veitía, who brought Cuban women’s judo to glory, had been suffering from various health problems for which he was admitted to Spain from where he asked to return to Cuba.

Recognized as one of the best judo coaches in history, Veitia He led his pupils to obtain some 50 medals in world championships, and 22 in the Olympic Games, including 4 gold.

The Jit portal indicated that the professor’s health had deteriorated in recent days and he died of complications related to diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Canel published a tweet in which he stressed that “Veitía leaves us forever pleasant memories of the continuous and emotional victories of Cuban women’s judo. May his school never die ”.

For his part, the president of the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (Inder), Osvaldo Vento Montiller said: “We share the pain with family and friends of this fighting patriot and faithful to his principles.”

Coach Ronaldo Veitía had harshly criticized the management of the women’s judo school by the Cuban sports authorities and said he would never return to train on the island.

“It seems that the new wants to banish the old. It is a complete reversal and there you have the adverse results. I do want to highlight the effort of all the athletes, girls and boys, who have given their best, their effort, their sacrifice in pursuit of better performances. I will never say otherwise.”, said the coach to the Cibercuba portal.

“I still don’t understand how a poor country, which barely rides the decorum of a population with practically no happiness, can afford to do without a talent like Ronaldo Veitía, as also happened with Dr. Alcides Sagarra, who could have done a lot continue contributing to the sport of fists”, he added.

Regarding the possibility of returning to Cuban judo, he asserted: “Never, never! For nothing in this world, under no circumstances, should I raise ruins after having built a temple?