Cuba’s sports regime "is allowing athletes to seek their own endorsement deals, and a Canadian agent helped guide them through the process," according to Morgan Campbell of the TORONTO STAR. Before U.S. President Barack Obama announced plans in December to normalize diplomatic and economic relations with Cuba, there "were no warning signs." But "if you were looking closely," you might have seen a foreshadowing of the deal flash past on the track, where since last season "some standout Cuban athletes" have been competing in gear supplied by U.S. companies. If Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles competes at the Pan Am games in Toronto this summer, he will do so in Nike shoes, "a move unthinkable until recently." Even three years ago, Cuban track and field athletes wore adidas "regardless of their personal brand preference, and a long list of rules kept American companies from doing business with Cuba’s state-run sports system." But two years ago, the country’s track and field federation quietly relaxed regulations, "allowing athletes greater autonomy regarding appearance fees and apparel deals." Kris Mychasiw, a Montreal-based agent who advised several Cuban athletes after the rule change, said, "Eighteen months before the announcement Nike had already infiltrated Cuba." Brand "mismatches between athletes and their national federations" are not rare. While the country’s prohibition often prompts baseball and boxing stars to leave Cuba to pursue pro careers, track and field athletes "have competed at the sport’s top level with the national federation acting as a de facto agent." When meets paid appearance fees and prize money to Cuban athletes, the federation "charges a steep commission." And when the federation chose German-based adidas as its official outfitter, "the deal applied to every athlete on the national team." Mychasiw said, "It’s going to be a huge opportunity. It’ll be like baseball and boxing. I’m sure Under Armour isn’t too far behind (seeking deals with Cuban athletes)" (TORONTO STAR, 2/22).
