A 10-day U.S. training camp for Senegal’s women’s national basketball team has been abruptly canceled after several players were denied entry visas, prompting a swift and symbolic response from Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
The team, which is preparing for the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket tournament scheduled for July in Ivory Coast, will now train in Dakar, Senegal’s capital.
“We will train in a sovereign and conducive setting,” Prime Minister Sonko announced on Thursday via social media, framing the move as a matter of national dignity amid tightening U.S. immigration policies targeting African nations.
Visa Denials Amid Growing Travel Restrictions
According to local reports, five players and 13 team officials were supposed to join other squad members and the coaching team already in the U.S. to begin final preparations. But U.S. visa applications for those individuals were rejected, with no official explanation offered by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar.
The situation unfolds as the United States expands its travel restrictions, reportedly targeting 25 African countries, including Senegal. Earlier this month, the U.S. confirmed full bans on 12 countries, seven of them African, and announced partial restrictions on citizens from seven more, including three from the continent.
A leaked diplomatic cable suggested countries were given 60 days to address U.S. concerns including visa overstays, non-cooperation with deportations, suspected links to extremist activity, and what the cable described as “anti-American sentiment.”
Symbolic Blow to Sports and Soft Diplomacy
Senegal’s decision to cancel the training camp is more than a sports story—it’s a diplomatic signal.
For a nation like Senegal, where basketball is a growing source of international pride, the refusal of visas to national athletes is seen not only as a logistical obstacle but a public slight.
“When national athletes are treated with suspicion or denial without explanation, it erodes goodwill,” said an analyst at the Dakar Institute of Strategy. “This isn’t just a visa issue—it’s national symbolism.”
The AfroBasket tournament, organized by FIBA Africa, is one of the continent’s premier women’s basketball competitions. Senegal remains one of the most successful teams in its history, and the canceled training in the U.S. was seen as vital preparation.
U.S.-Africa Tensions on the Rise
The visa denials come amid wider concerns in West Africa that U.S. immigration and trade policies under the current Trump administration could signal a shift away from engagement with African nations.
Senegal’s Foreign Ministry responded to the controversy by urging citizens to respect U.S. immigration rules, particularly around visa durations. But they stopped short of confirming whether Senegal is officially on the new restricted list.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yussuf Tuggar, warned that the expanded travel bans could jeopardize major U.S.-Africa trade opportunities, especially around energy and rare earth minerals, which are becoming strategic global assets.
“The unintended consequence of these policies may be driving African countries to diversify their international partnerships, particularly with China, Russia, or the BRICS bloc,” Tuggar stated.
What’s Next for Senegal’s Team?
Senegal’s women’s basketball team will now regroup and train at home ahead of the AfroBasket tournament, where they are strong contenders. However, the missed opportunity to train in the U.S.—a hub for high-performance basketball—could have competitive implications.
Still, the move has galvanized national pride. Social media in Senegal is ablaze with messages supporting the Prime Minister’s decision, using hashtags like #TrainInDakar and #VisaRespectNow.
Whether this turns into a broader diplomatic standoff remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: in 2025, sports and geopolitics are more intertwined than ever.
Written By Joe Brens
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