The United States has rejected visa applications for multiple members of Senegal’s women’s basketball team, which was scheduled to train in the country. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced the decision on Thursday, citing the US administration’s immigration crackdown and tightened border controls.
“I have been informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women’s national basketball team,” Sonko posted on Facebook. He instructed the country’s minister of sports to cancel the 10-day training camp in the United States. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, the United States only renewed visas for “those who held old visas and rejected new requests”.
The Senegalese women’s national basketball team, known as Les Lionnes, had been slated to train in the United States ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which begins in July. A spokesperson for the US State Department said it was not able to comment on individual cases, while the US Embassy in Senegal did not reply to a request for comment.
In response to the visa refusals, Prime Minister Sonko thanked China for having “awarded dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and their coaches”. This gesture highlights the growing cooperation between Senegal and China in the sports sector.
The visa refusals come at a time when the United States is considering adding Senegal to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, along with 35 other nations. The United States is set to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, but the visa issues may strain its relationships with participating countries.
The Senegalese government has since expressed its disappointment and frustration with the US decision, citing the importance of international cooperation and sports diplomacy, and is exploring alternative arrangements for the team’s training and preparation ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament.