Sawt Falasteen - Visa rejection dashes World Cup hopes of Ivory Coast and Senegal fans

The president of the Ivory Coast national supporters' committee and an official from the Senegalese sports ministry told AFP that their supporters would be devastated.

"The supporters have cancelled the trip because the US government does not want to see supporters from certain countries, including Ivory Coast, on its soil. The United States has been clear with us, saying they do not want to see our supporters," said Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of Ivory Coast's National Committee of Elephants Supporters (CNSE).

"This situation hurts us deeply because it prevents us from fulfilling our sacred duty, which is to support our team."

The Ivory Coast supporters' group operates under the country's sports ministry to organise trips for the country's small number of travelling fans to follow the team abroad.

Ivory Coast play two of their three group matches in Philadelphia, against Ecuador on June 14 and Curacao on June 25 either side of a trip to Toronto to face Germany.

In March, Kouadio told AFP he hoped 500 fans would travel across the Atlantic.

He said a handful of CNSE officials had been authorised to travel to the World Cup where they will be "look after the Ivorian supporters based in the United States", he said.

The CNSE estimates there will be more than 1,000 at matches.

The run-up to the World Cup, which kicks off in Mexico City later Thursday, has been dogged by the visa policies of the main host nation, the United States.

Somali referee Omar Artan was turned away last weekend and some support staff for the Iranian team have been denied entry.

- 'I am disappointed' -

For the Senegal, it is the first time home-based supporters will not be present at a World Cup in which they are competing.

It is their fourth after appearing in the 2002, 2018 and 2022 editions.

"It is the first time we will not be sending a delegation because of restrictions linked to the granting of visas by the United States," Ndeye Dome Thiouf, the communications advisor to the sports ministry, told AFP.

The ministry even tried to send the presidents of various supporters organisations, with all costs covered by the state, but their visa applications were rejected.

"Personally I am disappointed," said one of those affected, Pape Mass Gueye, president of the Lebougui supporters group.

"I thought organising a World Cup should not present so many problems."

To ensure Senegal -- also known as the Lions of Teranga -- has some support, the Senegal government will distribute 400 tickets per match to Senegalese citizens living in the US.

Senegal open their Group I campaign against France, who they famously beat in the opening match in the 2002 finals when the French were defending champions, on June 16 in New Jersey.

They go on to play Norway at the same stadium on June 22 and round off their group campaign against Iraq in Toronto four days later.

E.AbuRizq--SF-PST