Cuba lost half of its field hockey team at the Pan American Games after they defected to the United States.

Sources placed the number of the defectors from the 16-strong Cuban hockey team at eight but team member Roger Aguilera insisted there were just seven, the AFP reported.

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Because of the desertions, Cuba could only field eight men against Trinidad and Tobago amd were crushed by the score of 13-0.

Hockey teams field a standard 11 players plus five substitutes.

The new wave of defections came after four rowers disappeared last week: quadruple sculls  silver medalist Orlando Sotolongo, Leosmel Ramos, Wilber Turro, and Manuel Suarez, according to Reuters.

Cuba's media representative at the Pan Am Games, Roberto Ramirez, declined to comment about the defecting rowers. Ramirez said it's his right to remain mum about the issue.

Cuban athletes usually refuse to make statements about defections, and if they do, they usually criticize those who left.

That was preceded by defections from the Cuban soccer team at the recently concluded Gold Cup, most notably starting striker Ariel Martinez.

Also departing the team were Keiler Garcia, and Arael Arguellez and Dario Suarez.

Already among the weaker teams that qualified for the Gold Cup, the Cubans with 19 players available were eventually thrashed by the USA by a score of 6-0 defeat.

The was the largest margin of victory registered by a US team at the Gold Cup, the MLS website noted.

In early July, Luis Yander La O and outfielder Yadiel Hernandez defected from Cuba's baseball team during a three-city series of exhibitions in North Carolina, according to Sporting News.

Dozens of baseball players have defected, including stars like Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox, Yasiel Puig of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds. 

It's a common scenario for Cuban athletes to use international competitons as an opportunity to defect.
Sports such as baseball, boxing and volleyball, where Cubans command big salaries internationally, are hit hard.

Defections by Cuban athletes are expected to continue even after relations between the United States and Cuba have thawed and have opened embassies in each other's country. 

TagsCuban Athletes, Cuban defections, Cuban baseball team, Cuban rowing team, Cuban soccer team, Pan American Games, Gold Cup