The United States has denied visa applications for several members of Senegal's women's national basketball team, known as 'Les Lionnes'.
This decision has prompted Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, to cancel the team's planned 10-day training camp in the US ahead of the Afrobasket 2025 tournament in Ivory Coast.
In a statement released on Thursday, June 19, Prime Minister Sonko, expressed his disapproval of the visa denials and directed the minister of sports to cancel the camp entirely, expressing disapproval of the visa denials.
The visa refusals occur amid the US administration's ongoing immigration crackdown and tightened border controls.
The president of the federation, Babacar Ndiaye, noted that only players with previously held visas had their documents renewed, while all new applications were denied.
Sonko criticized the decision and acknowledged China's support, thanking Beijing for providing training scholarships for Senegalese athletes and coaches.
The cancellation has sparked diplomatic and sporting concerns, especially as the US prepares to co-host global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
