Senegal has called off a high-profile basketball training camp in the United States after a number of players and officials were denied entry visas, triggering strong criticism from Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who said the decision undermined the country’s sovereignty.

In a statement released on Thursday, Sonko announced the women’s national team would now train in Dakar “in a sovereign and conducive setting,” accusing the US of unjust treatment after visa requests for five players and seven team officials were not approved.

The scrapped training session was part of the team's final preparations ahead of the 2025 Women's AfroBasket tournament in Ivory Coast next month.

The 10-day camp in the US was expected to boost the squad’s readiness, as Senegal remains one of the continent’s strongest basketball nations, regularly finishing among the top four in AfroBasket competitions.

“Informed of the refusal of issuing visas to several members of the Senegal women’s national basketball team, I have instructed the Ministry of Sports to simply cancel the ten-day preparatory training initially planned in the United States of America,” Sonko said in a statement shared on social media.

The US embassy has not offered specific reasons for the visa rejections, and a spokesperson for the State Department told the BBC that visa records are confidential under American law, and thus individual cases could not be discussed.

However, the denials come at a time of heightened scrutiny, with reports indicating that the US is preparing to extend travel restrictions to an additional 25 African countries — including Senegal.

Earlier this month, the US had already imposed a visa ban on citizens from 12 countries, including seven in Africa. Another seven nations, three from Africa, were hit with partial restrictions.

According to leaked diplomatic cables, the expanded restrictions target countries accused of allowing visa overstays, refusing to accept deported nationals, or being linked to alleged terror threats, antisemitism, or what the US describes as “anti-American” behaviour.

Though Senegal’s foreign ministry has not directly commented on the country’s inclusion in the upcoming restrictions, it issued a statement urging citizens to strictly adhere to US immigration guidelines. The ministry added that diplomatic and consular efforts were ongoing to engage with Washington over the matter.

Nigeria has also expressed concern over the expanded visa bans. Foreign Minister Yussuf Tuggar warned that the restrictions could threaten key economic partnerships with the US, including those tied to energy and rare earth minerals — a sector where West Africa holds growing strategic value.

The move by Senegal to cancel the US camp is being seen as a pointed act of defiance, with Sonko’s government stressing its right to train “in a respectful and sovereign environment.”

The row comes just weeks before tip-off in the AfroBasket tournament, casting a political shadow over what was supposed to be a purely sporting affair.