Senegal women's hoops team denied U.S. visas

The Senegalese women's hoops squad has scrapped plans to bid successful the U.S. for the upcoming AfroBasket tourney successful the Ivory Coast adjacent period aft respective players and squad officials had their visas denied, Senegal's premier curate said.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on Facebook Thursday that the squad would bid successful Senegal's capital, Dakar, "in a sovereign and conducive setting."

The West African nation's federation said successful a connection that the visa applications of 5 players and 7 officials weren't approved.

"Informed of the refusal of issuing visas to respective members of the Senegal women's nationalist hoops team, I person instructed the Ministry of Sports to simply cancel the 10-day preparatory grooming initially planned successful the United States of America," Sonko said.

The visa denials travel amid a propulsion by the Trump medication to person countries amended vetting travelers oregon look a prohibition connected their citizens visiting the United States. Senegal wasn't connected that database of countries and it was not instantly wide wherefore the visas were denied.

The question prohibition includes exemptions for the World Cup, the Olympics and immoderate "other large sporting event," though it's unclear what is considered a large event.

The squad is coached by Otis Hughley Jr., who antecedently led the Nigerian women's hoops team. He was the men's manager astatine Alabama A&M earlier resigning successful March.

Senegal, which was going to bid successful the U.S. from Sunday done July 3, has finished either archetypal oregon 2nd successful 4 of the past 5 AfroBasket championships implicit the past decennary and has won 11 titles successful total. The tourney determines Africa's champion, which earns introduction into the FIBA World Cup adjacent twelvemonth successful Germany.