Senegal Cancels U.S. Basketball Training Camp After Visa Denials for Women’s National Team

Senegal are gearing up for the AfroBasket tournament in July

Senegal has cancelled a scheduled training camp in the United States for its women's national basketball team after several players and officials were denied U.S. visas. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced the decision, calling for preparations to continue at home “in a sovereign and conducive setting” in Dakar.

The move comes amid mounting tensions over expanding U.S. travel restrictions targeting multiple African nations, including Senegal. According to recent reports, the United States is preparing to impose new visa limits on 25 African countries, adding to the existing list of 12 nations already affected, seven of which are from the continent. A further seven African countries reportedly face partial restrictions.

Although the U.S. Embassy has yet to officially comment, sources indicate that five players and 13 officials from the Senegalese team were denied visas ahead of a scheduled training session in the U.S. The group was expected to join other teammates and their coach already in the country to prepare for the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket tournament, taking place in Ivory Coast next month.

“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 stated on Thursday in a public announcement.

Senegal’s women’s basketball team is among the strongest on the continent, regularly reaching the final stages of AfroBasket competitions. The team includes players from top-tier leagues in the United States, Europe, Egypt, and other parts of Africa.

The visa denial is raising concerns over the criteria used in the U.S. decision-making process. According to a leaked diplomatic cable, countries being considered for extended travel restrictions were given 60 days to address issues such as high rates of visa overstays, lack of cooperation with deportation efforts, and allegations of antisemitism, terrorism links, or perceived anti-American activities.

Following the visa refusals, Senegal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement urging its citizens to adhere strictly to permitted periods of stay in the U.S., though it did not explicitly confirm Senegal’s inclusion in the expanded list of restricted countries. The ministry also affirmed that diplomatic and consular services are in ongoing communication with the U.S. administration.

In a related development, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar warned that the tightening of U.S. travel policies could hamper strategic partnerships between West Africa and the U.S., particularly in areas such as energy and rare earth mineral trade.

The Trump administration, which has overseen the expansion of the travel ban policies, has defended the measures on the grounds of national security and a pressing need to curb visa violations from certain regions.