Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko reacted after many Senegalese women’s basketball players and team officials had their visas denied, canceling their plans to train in the United States for the upcoming AfroBasket competition in Ivory Coast next month.
The West African federation announced in a statement that the visa applications of five players and seven officials had been denied.
In light of the situation, the prime minister said on Facebook that the squad would train “in a sovereign and conducive setting” in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: Senegal now first African team to beat England
“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 10-day preparatory training initially planned in the United States of America,” Sonko said, according to The Associated Press.
Senegal was scheduled to train in the United States from Sunday through July 3. Over the past ten years, Senegal has won 11 AfroBasket titles and finished first or second in four of the games. The event crowns Africa’s champion, who advances to the FIBA World Cup in Germany the following year.
The team is coached by Otis Hughley Jr., who previously led the Nigerian women’s basketball team. He formerly served as the men’s coach at Alabama A&M before quitting in March.
The visa denials coincide with the Trump administration’s call for countries to enhance travel vetting or face a ban on their citizens visiting the United States. Senegal was not on that list of countries, and it is unclear why the visas were denied.
The Olympics, the World Cup, and any “other major sporting event” are exempt from the travel ban, though it’s not obvious what constitutes a major event.
READ ALSO: Senegalese migrants honored by Spanish city for helping victim during homophobic attack
According to the BBC, the U.S. declared a ban on nationals from 12 countries earlier this month, seven of which are in Africa. Travel restrictions were also partially imposed on citizens of seven other nations, three of which were in Africa.
In the recently leaked diplomatic letter that detailed the extended travel restrictions, targeted countries were given up to 60 days to address the concerns voiced by the United States, which is why the visa refusals are causing a stir.
According to reports, the concerns raised by the U.S. include people overstaying visas, refusing to cooperate with deportations, antisemitism, or what it called “anti-American” behavior, and connections to U.S. terror attacks.
READ ALSO: Senegal demands answers as it remembers French colonial massacre
