U.S. baseball officials visit Cuba.

U.S. BASEBALL OFFICIALS VISIT CUBA. Still waiting for the U.S. government to decide whether Cuba will be allowed to play in the World Baseball Classic, officials of the U.S. Major League Baseball commissioner's office and the American players' association visited the island to go over logistics for the tournament, reports AP (Jan. 12, 2006):

Paul Archey, senior VP of Major League Baseball International, went to the island along with union lawyer Doyle Pryor, according to Rich Levin, a spokesman for the MLB commissioner's office. The U.S. Treasury Department in December denied MLB's application for Cuba to play in the United States. A permit is necessary because of laws governing certain transactions with Cuba, which generally is not allowed to receive U.S. currency;

Cuba is scheduled to play the first round in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. Later rounds are scheduled on the U.S. mainland. After Cuba promised to donate any money to victims of Hurricane Katrina, MLB reapplied for a permit. The IBAF says it will withdraw its sanction of the tournament if Cuba isn't allowed to play.