The women's national basketball team has cancelled plans to train in the US after several members refused visas.
Senegal Prime Minister Osmane Sonko said in a post on social media that the team will instead train in the Senegal capital Dakar in a “environment of sovereignty and promotion.”
Senegalese women's team is preparing for the Afro Basket Tournament to be held in Ivory Coast. The League of Nations said in a statement that visa applications for five players and seven officials have not been approved.
“Informing that I have refused to issue visas to several members of Senegale's women's national basketball team, I have directed the Ministry of Sports to cancel the first planned 10-day preparatory training in the United States,” Songko said in a statement.
It is unclear why the visa was denied, but the denial comes in the Trump administration's push to review travelers or face a ban on citizens visiting the US.
According to the Associated Press, Senegal was scheduled to train in the US from June 22nd to July 3rd.
The West African country is strong in Africa's women's basketball, finishing one or second in four of the past five Afro Basket Championships. There are a total of 11 titles.
The tournament will determine the African champions who will take part in the FIBA World Cup in Germany next year.
