Cuban Judo Star Will Not Participate in Pan-American Championship

Gonzalez, Olympic runner-up in London 2012 and world champion in Rio de Janeiro 2013 in the 90kg division, is feeling pain in his right shoulder; therefore he will not participate in the competition taking place in Havana's Ciudad Deportiva.

Doctor for the national judo selection Ubelino Moreno, told the Cuban television it was decided not to expose the athlete to further pain only three months ahead of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016.

Gonzalez underwent surgical operation in his right shoulder after a pretty serious injury, although he was showing a satisfactory recovery process, with good results in international competitions.

Consequently, Gonzalez will lose a good opportunity to keep adding points to the Olympic ranking, since he intended to improve his ranking despite being classified.

The Pan-American Championship includes more than 200 competitors from 27 countries, most of them fighting to keep their positions, improve them of include themselves in the Olympic ranking.