Senegal PM’s ‘deep gratitude’ to China after US refuses women’s basketball team’s visas
Women’s team had been heading to America for 10-day training camp, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko reveals Chinese help for ‘athletes, coaches’
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko expressed his “deep gratitude” to China on Thursday for its support of the country’s women’s basketball team, after the United States rejected visas for several members ahead of a planned training camp.
The visa refusals come amid US President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown and tightened border controls.
Senegal is among 36 nations the US is considering adding to a travel ban barring entry to its territory, according to an internal administration memo.
America is set to co-host the 2026 Fifa World Cup with Canada and Mexico, and stage the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Posting on Facebook, Sonko said he had been told “about the refusal to issue visas to several members of the Senegalese women’s national basketball team”.
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He said he had instructed the country’s ministry of sports to “simply cancel the ten-day preparatory training”.