The Zambia women’s national team have decided to remove their four US-based players from their squad for upcoming games due to concerns about the US President Donald Trump administration’s immigration policy, the country’s soccer federation announced on Wednesday.
The policies have created significant uncertainty for foreigners looking to leave or re-enter the US after time abroad. Last month, a French scientist was detained and his phone was searched upon arriving in Houston for a conference.
Zambia are due to play Thailand and either China or Uzbekistan in China this week. Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda, Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda are to miss the games along with Bay FC’s Rachael Kundananji. Banda is Zambia’s captain and forms part of the team’s first-choice frontline alongside Kundananji.
Photo: AP
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) in a statement said that the decision was “owing to additional travel measures introduced by the new administration in the United States of America.”
Withdrawing the players from the squad was done with the advice of the Zambian mission in Washington and both of the involved National Women’s Soccer League clubs.
“After working through the process instigated by recently introduced measures it was decided that it is in the best interest of our players to skip this assignment,” FAZ general-secretary Reuben Kamanga said in a statement.
“They will definitely be available for future assignments as they were for the last window when we played Malawi,” he said.
The Trump administration and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement have withdrawn visas for several foreign nationals and deported numerous legal permanent residents for various reasons, including a history of criticizing Trump and suspicions of gang associations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered a widespread review of visas and announced that more than 300 have been canceled so far.
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