HAVANA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Cuban hurdler Orlando Ortega, considered the successor to track star Dayron Robles, has been benched from competing in the upcoming World Cup in Moscow due to a "grave lack of discipline," a sports official said here Tuesday.
The president of the National Athletics Federation, Jorge Luis Sanchez, said the 21-year-old Olympic finalist in the 2012 London games will have to complete a six month-penalty of training in Havana, without the right to participate in any international competitions.
Ortega and his trainer Kevin Antunez refused to attend Moscow's World Cup Challenge on June 11, after their participation was confirmed by the Cuban federation.
Antunez, who was also sanctioned by being expelled as head trainer of Cuba's athletic Olympic team, is the son of renowned trainer Santiago Antunez, Robles' coach.
Robles quit Cuba's athletics squad in January and is now running for a private club in Monaco, under the guidance of Antunez Sr.
Neither Sanchez nor Cuban sports news sources have revealed why Ortega and his trainer refused to attend the Moscow athletics meet.
Ortega registered the second-best time of the season (13.08 seconds) and presented one of Cuba's main chances for a title in Moscow.