[Text/Observer Network by Shao Yun]

According to a report by Agence France-Presse on June 19, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced on the same day that due to visa denials from the U.S. side, the training camp of the Senegalese women's basketball team originally scheduled to be held in the United States will now take place in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. He also expressed "deep gratitude" for the "training scholarships" provided by China.

"After learning that visas for multiple members of the Senegalese national women's basketball team were denied, I have instructed the sports minister to cancel the 10-day training camp originally planned in the United States," Sonko said on social media on the 19th. "This training camp will now be held in Dakar, conducted in a sovereign environment, creating an environment conducive to competitive performance for our athletes."

Sonko then wrote: "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the People's Republic of China for providing dozens of training scholarships for our athletes and coaches to prepare for the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games." He stated that Senegal clearly and firmly reiterates its new cooperation principles, namely "freedom, balance, based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial win-win cooperation."

The Dakar Youth Olympics hosted by Senegal is scheduled to open on October 31 and end on November 13 next year, marking the first time that an Olympic series event will be held on the African continent. According to information from the Chinese Embassy in Senegal, China has provided support for Senegal's preparation for the Dakar Youth Olympics.

Sonko's statement Facebook screenshot

It was reported that the Senegalese women's basketball team is currently preparing for the 2025 African Basketball Championship to be held in Ivory Coast in July. However, as they approached the training camp in the United States, the Senegalese media "Record" reported on the 18th that only two players and two coaches received visas, while the visa applications of the remaining five players and 13 technical, medical, and administrative personnel were all rejected by the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, disrupting the original plan.

A source close to the matter criticized the U.S. visa denial decision as "senseless" because Senegal had completed all relevant administrative procedures. "The Ministry of Sports and the Basketball Association have fulfilled all necessary procedures. Relevant authorities issued facilitation letters and directly contacted the relevant U.S. authorities. The Basketball Association also proactively arranged appointments to prepare the visa application materials," the source said.

Therefore, some Senegalese media speculated that the recent tightening of immigration and entry regulations in the United States created a "political atmosphere" that may have influenced the processing of visa applications for the Senegalese women's basketball team. According to Babacar Ndiaye, president of the Senegalese Basketball Association, the U.S. side only renewed visas for those holding old visas and refused new visa applications.

In response, the U.S. Embassy in Senegal did not respond to the request for comment from Agence France-Presse. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said they could not comment on individual cases.

Previously, on June 4, the White House announced a comprehensive restriction on citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iran, and Yemen, entering the United States, partially restricting citizens from 7 other countries such as Burundi. The Washington Post disclosed on the 14th that it had seen an internal memo from the U.S. State Department indicating that the Trump administration was considering further prohibiting citizens from another 36 countries, including 25 African countries, with Senegal included.

According to the memo, the U.S. side required related countries' governments to meet the new standards and requirements set by the U.S. Department of State within 60 days and submit preliminary action plans before 8:00 AM on the 18th. The Senegalese media "Senenews" reported that in response, the Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs of Senegal recently urged its citizens to comply with U.S. immigration requirements, including promoting the "voluntary departure" mechanism to encourage illegal immigrants to voluntarily return to their home countries.

The Trump administration's practice of imposing entry restrictions on specific countries has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally in the United States. Domestic Democratic lawmakers and other critics consider this move xenophobic and paranoid. Washington State Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal condemned: "This ban is an extension of Trump's 'Muslim Ban' during his first term and will only isolate us further on the world stage."

After the U.S. announced restrictions on citizens from multiple countries at the beginning of the month, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello once stated that there was "great risk" for anyone staying in the United States. BBC predicted that Trump's entry restriction order would face legal challenges.

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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7518037249314046499/

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