No, Fidel Castro Did Not Invent the Euro Step

No, Fidel Castro Did Not Invent the Euro Step

There’s an internet rumor that circulates every few months claiming Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro invented the Euro Step basketball move. It shows up in viral tweets, Reddit posts, and TikTok videos. As funny as it is, this never happened.

never forget castro spamming the euro step so much that it made Che Guevara question his commitment to the revolution pic.twitter.com/NXaDkUbZfR

— JokicJoestar (@JoestarJokic) February 27, 2024

The rumor stems from a 2016 Medium article titled “How Fidel Castro Invented the Euro Step: A Brief Oral History” by Micah Wimmer. Beyond the fact it was posted to a comedy blog, you don’t need a master’s degree in literary studies to see that this article is satire. Here’s an excerpt:

“In his frequent basketball matches, Fidel has started using a new move he simply calls ‘The Step.’ It is undeniably effective, yet is its goodness equally undeniable? As revolutionaries we must not merely pay attention to ends, but to means. I worry that this flash and pomp is not befitting of the revolutionary leader. It serves to separate him too much from those caught in the chains of a maudlin life, marred by oppression and economic strife. Yes, it leads to a basket, but at what cost to the communal spirit?”

Well-written? Yes. Hilarious? Absolutely. True? Nope.

The article also includes fake quotes from Russell Westbrook, Spencer Hawes, Manu Ginobili, and Gregg Popovich. If nothing has convinced you so far, Micah Wimmer debunked it himself on Twitter, saying he made it up but has seen it spread so much that he’s starting to actually believe it.

I’m the person who wrote this and I know I made it up but I’ve seen it spread so many times that I’m starting to wonder if this actually did happen and I just mysteriously tapped into some previously unknown eternal truth

— Micah Wimmer (@micahwimmer) February 29, 2024

It’s wild that I even have to write this post, but it goes to show that media literacy is at an all-time low. The amount of people who have bought this just because they saw it on Twitter or Reddit is really embarrassing. Maybe read a book sometime.

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