Brazilian table tennis star denied entry to US due to having competed in Cuba

• Hugo Calderano denied US visa over Cuba trip

• Misses major Las Vegas event despite top form

• Emergency visa effort failed as event began

Brazilian Hugo Calderano, who won the gold medal in the 2025 table tennis World Cup, said he will miss the WTT US smash event in Las Vegas this month following delays in getting a visa to the United States.

Calderano, a 2025 world championships silver medallist who also holds a Portuguese passport, said he had been informed by US authorities that he was no longer eligible for visa waiver for European Union countries, due to a trip to Cuba in 2023 to compete in international competitions and qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics.