FIBA U19 Women's World Cup: Mali face withdrawal threat over visa refusals
Mali's U19 national team qualified in style for the FIBA U19 Women's World Cup, but their participation is now in doubt
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A world stage dream is under threat from red tape. African champions at the 2024 Women's AfroBasket U18, Mali's U19 national team qualified in style for the FIBA U19 Women's World Cup, which runs from 12 to 20 July in Brno, Czech Republic. Drawn in Group C alongside France, Australia and Brazil, the young Malians, led by promising talents, are aiming to make history, following in the footsteps of the U19 men's team who finished runners-up in 2019.
Czech Republic refuses to issue visas
But with two days to go before tip-off, an administrative obstacle threatens their participation: the Czech authorities have refused the visas. With no Czech embassy in Mali, the Malian Basketball Federation approached the Spanish embassy to process the applications, supplying a note verbale and a mission order. Despite the goodwill of the Spanish authorities, final authorisation from Prague has not been granted.
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“It's incomprehensible. These young women are African champions and deserve to represent their country,” a federation official said angrily. The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has tried to break the deadlock, so far without success. It is not the first time an African team has been held up by visa problems. In 2019, Malian star Oumar Ballo almost missed the men's U19 World Cup for similar reasons. In 2011, Nigeria had already been forced to withdraw from the FIBA U19 Women's World Cup because of administrative problems. It is a recurring problem that hampers African nations, even though the teams earned their qualification on the court.
48h to resolve the situation
This latest blockage has revived frustrations and raised questions about possible political motives, as Mali, a member of the Confederation of Sahel States, seeks to raise its profile through sport. On X, the African basketball community is rallying: “Sport should unite, not divide. Let our champions play!” said one user. With a first game scheduled against France on 12 July, time is running out. Missing out on Brno would deprive these young athletes of a unique experience and slow the momentum of African women's basketball, which is on the rise. The Malian federation, backed by FIBA Africa, is continuing negotiations in the hope of a favourable outcome before the tournament starts.