Ely Malik Reyes, a 26-year-old transgender man, became the first transgender athlete to officially compete in a Cuban sports league, participating in the male 60/65-kilogram category of sanda on June 1. Reyes has been on hormone therapy for two years and has faced challenges, including a lack of medication and legal hurdles to change his gender on official documents. Cuba’s current law requires full genital reassignment surgery for such changes, which Reyes does not want. Despite these obstacles, sports authorities recognized his male status, allowing him to compete.