Senegal’s women’s basketball team has canceled a scheduled 10-day training camp in the United States after several of the players on the team were reportedly denied visas. The team is currently in training ahead of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket tournament in Côte d’Ivoire in July, according to BBC.
The training cancellation over denied visas comes amid President Trump’s travel ban news; citizens from 12 countries— seven in Africa—have already been banned from entering the United States. There have also been reports that the Trump administration is considering adding 36 additional countries to its travel ban list; 25 of the countries are in Africa. Senegal is on the list of countries being considered, though as of June 20, it has not been added to the travel ban list.
Five players and seven officials were not approved for travel into the United States, including two representatives of the federation, a doctor, a physiotherapist, a steward, the general manager, and the ministerial delegate. All were refused visas by the ambassador of the United States to Senegal, according to CNN.
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said the team would now train in the country’s capital, Dakar, “in a sovereign and conducive setting.”
In a statement shared to Facebook, PM Sonko said, “Informed of the refusal of issuing visas to several members of the Senegal women’s national basketball team, I have instructed the Ministry of Sports to simply cancel the ten-day preparatory training initially planned in the United States of America.”
A reason for the denials was not given; the United States Department of State does not comment on individual cases of denials. According to the leaked memo outlining the potential addition of 36 countries to the administration’s travel ban, countries would be given 60 days to address concerns raised by the United States, which include visa overstays and not complying with deportation orders, links to terrorism, or anti-American sentiment. In response, Senegal’s foreign minister has urged nationals to comply with their permitted periods of stay in America.
