Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has ordered the cancellation of a planned U.S.-based training camp for the national women’s basketball team following the refusal of entry visas for several athletes and officials. The decision adds to growing diplomatic unease between the United States and multiple African countries amid a wave of new and expanded U.S. travel restrictions targeting the continent.
The ten-day training program in the United States was part of the team’s final preparations for the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament set to take place in Ivory Coast next month. However, visa applications for five key players and 13 team officials were reportedly denied without explanation, forcing the cancellation of the trip.
“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,” Prime Minister Sonko said in a statement posted on social media. He added that the team would now complete their preparations in Dakar “in a sovereign and conducive setting.”
The U.S. Embassy in Senegal has not issued a public statement regarding the visa denials. However, the development comes on the heels of leaked information indicating that the U.S. government plans to impose new travel restrictions on 25 African nations, including Senegal, citing national security concerns. These measures reportedly stem from issues such as visa overstays, non-cooperation with deportation orders, alleged links to extremist activity, and anti-American sentiment.
Earlier in June, the U.S. implemented an initial round of bans affecting citizens from 12 countries seven of them in Africa, and announced partial travel restrictions on nationals from an additional seven countries, three of which are African.
Senegal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while not confirming the country’s inclusion on the new restricted list, released a statement urging its citizens abroad to adhere strictly to their permitted durations of stay in the U.S. The ministry also noted that diplomatic channels remain open and that it is working closely with the U.S. government to address the issue.
The implications of these new travel policies could reach beyond sports and tourism. Nigerian Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar warned that the restrictions could jeopardize potential deals in critical sectors like energy and rare earth minerals, where African nations have much to offer. “If African professionals and stakeholders are unable to travel freely, it disrupts cooperation, hinders investment, and undermines strategic partnerships,” he said.
Observers see this development as a setback not only for sports diplomacy but for broader U.S.-Africa relations. It also raises questions about fairness, transparency, and the impact of unilateral immigration decisions on international cooperation in areas ranging from sports to trade and security.
As the AfroBasket tournament approaches, the Senegalese women’s team multiple-time African champions, will now refocus their training efforts at home under less-than-ideal circumstances, while the international community continues to monitor the fallout from the expanding U.S. travel ban list.
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