Cosmos and Pele heading to Cuba as sporting ties warm

The New York Cosmos will kick-off a new era in sporting relations between the United States and Cuba on Tuesday when they become the first American sports team in 16 years to play in the Communist-ruled island.
Brazilian legend Pele is to join the glamorous New York soccer team's traveling party for Tuesday's exhibition match against the Cuban national team at the Pedro Marrero Stadium in Havana.
The fixture reflects the rapidly thawing ties between the United States and Cuba following moves to normalize relations between the former Cold War foes after a bitter five-decade schism.
The historic rapprochement has already shown several signs of extending into the sporting arena. Cuban officials announced last week that the Baltimore Orioles -- the last professional US team to play in Cuba back in 1999 -- would return later this year to play against the Cuban national team.

Earlier in May, Cuba's state-controlled television also took the unprecedented step of televising a Major League Baseball game involving a Cuban player, Kendrys Morales, in the Kansas City Royals game with the Texas Rangers.
It was the first time Cuba had screened a match involving one of its legion of MLB players, who are, officially at least, barred from playing in the United States and often portrayed as "deserters."

Planning for Tuesday's match in began earlier this year, when the Cosmos first sounded out officials in the US and Cuba about the possibility of organizing a game.
"It became pretty real pretty fast, and we had to just take the steps in good order and get everybody on board. Whether it was the State Department, Justice Department, White House," Cosmos chief executive Erik Stover soon after the game was confirmed.

"We went down (to Washington), very quietly, and they were immediately supportive," Stover added.