Overview

• US authorities rejected Calderano’s ESTA application on July 4 due to his 2023 attendance at an Olympic qualifying event in Cuba.
• Recent policy designates Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism and requires full visas for all visitors who entered the island after January 2021.
• Appeals by the US Table Tennis Association and the US Olympic Committee failed to secure a last-minute visa appointment.
• Calderano, ranked third globally and the 2025 vice world champion, has withdrawn from the $1.55 million Grand Smash running July 3–13 in Las Vegas.
• The case underscores growing logistical hurdles for international athletes under evolving US travel restrictions as the WTT Grand Smash series expands.