Senegal Women’s Basketball Team Forced to Cancel U.S. Training Camp After Visa Denials

The Senegal Women’s National Basketball Team has cancelled its planned training camp in the United States after several players and staff were denied entry visas, the Senegalese Basketball Federation announced on Thursday.

The 10-day camp, which was set to run from June 22 to July 3, was intended as part of the team’s preparations for upcoming international tournaments. According to The Athletic, visa denials affected five players, six staff members, and a government delegation.

The decision comes amid tighter U.S. immigration controls and expanded travel restrictions targeting multiple countries. While Senegal is not currently on the U.S. restricted list, the denials prompted an official response from Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, who confirmed the cancellation in a statement.

“Informed of the refusal to issue visas to multiple members of the national women’s basketball team, I instructed the Ministry of Sports to cancel the preparation program initially set for the United States,” Sonko wrote on Facebook.

While the U.S. has provided exemptions for high-profile events such as the World Cup and Olympics, it is believed the basketball training camp was not considered a “major sporting event,” possibly contributing to the visa refusals.

The development follows reports of plans by the current U.S. administration to expand its travel ban to more countries, with Senegal reportedly among those being considered.

In the wake of the setback, Prime Minister Sonko expressed gratitude to China for offering grants and support to the team’s preparations, particularly with the Youth Olympic Games scheduled to take place in Dakar in 2026.

The Senegalese team will now hold its training camp in Dakar as it readies for the Women’s AfroBasket tournament, where Senegal holds a record 11 championship titles.