US Rejects Visa Requests For Senegal Women's Basketball Team
Senegal is one of 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban that would bar entry to its territory.
The United States has denied multiple visas for members of the Senegal women's basketball team, which had planned to train in America, according to officials in Dakar. This decision comes as Washington tightens border controls and reportedly considers extending a travel ban.
The heightened border restrictions have caused concern among athletes and fans planning to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in the United States.
According to an internal administration memo, Senegal is one of 36 nations that the United States is considering adding to a travel ban that would bar entry to its territory.
In a heated Facebook post on Thursday, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko stated he had been 'informed about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women's national basketball team."
He instructed the minister of sports to cancel the 10-day training camp in the United States.
Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Federation, noted that the United States only renewed visas for those who held old visas and rejected new applications.
A total of 12 visas—five for players and seven for the team's staff—were denied, according to a federation statement late Thursday.
Les Lionnes were scheduled to train in the United States in preparation for the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast, which starts in July.
The US travel ban currently affects 12 countries.
The order states it is not meant to apply to athletes competing in the World Cup or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
With AFP Inputs
First Published:
June 20, 2025, 17:13 IST
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