Why Rwanda’s Army basketball team was removed from African League — NBA

The NBA has announced that Rwanda's Army basketball team, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR), has been removed from the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) due to US sanctions against the Rwandan military. The sanctions, imposed in March over allegations that the Rwandan military was supporting the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, led to complaints from two US senators who questioned the NBA's continued partnership with Rwanda.

The NBA's deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, confirmed that APR will remain barred from the competition as long as the sanctions remain in place. This decision follows a letter from Democratic Senator Jeffrey Merkley and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, who urged the NBA to reconsider its relationship with the Rwandan team, citing concerns about human rights abuses and the potential for "sportswashing."

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