![Ariel Ley Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, trains at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/3fe4325f73ff42e793eb00fe112d4556/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, trains at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)
![Ariel Ley Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, trains at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/db5c5630414c497b8f242fb7f544d9e7/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, trains at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)
![Ariel Ley Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, rests during a workout at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/b5b6a4251f2a4c13ba94ec42d349d90a/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, rests during a workout at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)
![Ariel Ley Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, right, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, spars with fellow athlete Leandro Matos at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/c0b1aab64d3749a4b9a34a3e9e02cb84/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Transgender Cuban athlete Ely Malik Reyes, right, who practices mixed martial arts known as sanda, spars with fellow athlete Leandro Matos at a gym in Regla, across the bay from Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Reyes became the first trans athlete to officially compete in a Cuban league. (AP Photo/Ariel Ley)