Rwanda Army Team Removed from Africa Basketball League Due to US Sanctions

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has for the first time revealed the reason behind the removal of Rwanda's army-backed APR basketball team from the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The NBA stated that the decision stemmed from US sanctions imposed on the Rwandan army in March. Previously, the league had only announced the team's non-participation without providing a reason.

This clarification came in response to a letter from two US senators who had urged the NBA to reconsider its partnership with Rwanda. The senators argued that the NBA risked "becoming complicit in sportswashing" by accepting money from the Rwandan government, which they accused of systematically abusing human rights.

Highlights

• The NBA removed Rwanda's army-backed APR team from the Basketball Africa League due to US sanctions on the Rwandan army.
• The US accuses the Rwandan army of fueling conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
• Two US senators questioned the NBA's partnership with Rwanda over human rights concerns.
• Rwanda is an official BAL partner and pays to host the league's finals.
• The APR team remains barred from the league as long as US sanctions are in place.

Details

The US imposed sanctions on the Rwandan army in March, accusing it of fueling the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and supporting the M23 rebel group. Rwanda denies backing the rebels. Last week, the US also sanctioned Rwanda's defense ministry for its alleged support of the M23.

In their letter dated October 23, Democratic Senator Jeffrey Merkley and Republican counterpart Marsha Blackburn asked the NBA, if it continued its partnership with Rwanda, "What is the NBA red line for accepting money from foreign governments that commit human rights abuses?" They also questioned how the association could "reconcile its continued partnership with Rwanda with its purported commitment to justice."

NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum confirmed to ESPN that the Rwandan team "had been withdrawn" from the BAL following the sanctions. APR is one of Rwanda's top basketball teams and represented the country in the BAL in 2024 and 2025, finishing third. It was replaced by the RSSB Tigers this year.

Why it matters

This decision highlights increasing pressure from the US on Rwanda over human rights and regional stability concerns. It also demonstrates how major sports organizations are increasingly intertwined with political and ethical issues, and how such partnerships can have significant repercussions in international relations. The Democratic Republic of Congo has repeatedly called for an end to Rwanda's high-profile international sports deals, including with the NBA, arguing that they help Rwanda improve its global image while conflict continues in eastern DR Congo.