The decision to defect was made by both athletes on the last day of their fencing events, adding them to the list of three other Cuban athletes who had already left the delegation during the same games. Núñez, serving as a substitute for the men's saber team, exited the Olympic village before the final competition took place. A Struggling Fencing TeamThe performance of the Cuban fencing team in Santo Domingo was described as "the worst in decades" by the same source, having secured only a single bronze medal, won by the men's épée team. This trend is not new for Cuban fencing. "With athletes leaving and others retiring, combined with economic and organizational challenges, fencing has become the worst combat sport in Cuba.