The United States has refused visa applications for several members of Senegal’s women’s basketball team, prompting the cancellation of their planned training camp in the US, Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced Thursday.
The visa refusals come amid a broader tightening of US immigration policies under the Trump administration, which has been cracking down on visa issuance and border security.
The US is preparing to co-host major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Senegal is reportedly among 36 countries the US is considering adding to a travel ban restricting entry, according to a leaked internal government memo.
Prime Minister Sonko confirmed on Facebook that he had instructed Senegal’s sports minister to cancel the 10-day US training camp initially scheduled to help prepare the national team for the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast starting in July.
Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, said the US only renewed visas for players who already held previous US visas, while new applications were rejected.
The US State Department declined to comment on individual visa cases, and the US Embassy in Senegal did not respond to AFP requests for comment.
In light of the visa denials, Sonko expressed gratitude to China for offering numerous training scholarships to Senegalese athletes and coaches as an alternative.
