Rwanda’s army team removed from Africa league after US sanctions, NBA says

The NBA has ended its partnership with Rwanda's army team, the Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR), due to US sanctions imposed on the country in March 2023. The APR, funded by the Rwandan army, was not to participate in the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL), a decision previously announced by the NBA. However, this is the first time the NBA has disclosed the reasons behind the APR's removal.

The NBA responded to complaints from two US senators who sent a letter asking them to reconsider their association with the Rwandan team. The senators cited the US sanctions, accusing the Rwandan army of fueling conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The NBA faced accusations of "sportswashing" - the practice of using sports to improve a country's international image while ignoring human rights abuses - for accepting money from a government accused of systematic human rights abuses.

Last month, the US also sanctioned Rwanda's defence ministry for supporting the M23 rebel group in DR Congo. Despite these sanctions, Rwanda remains an official BAL partner and pays the league to host its finals in Kigali. The NBA has barred the APR from the BAL until the sanctions are lifted. The APR, one of Rwanda's top basketball teams, represented the country in the BAL in 2024 and 2025, finishing third both years.

Following the 2025 season, the APR was replaced by the RSSB Tigers. The BAL is a professional basketball league with 12 club teams from across Africa, established and co-organized by the NBA and Fiba. Rwanda has hosted most of the league's finals and playoff matches since its inception in 2021. The NBA reportedly earns millions annually from Rwanda for marketing and partnership rights.

DR Congo has consistently condemned Rwanda's high-profile international sports deals, including with the NBA and European football clubs, arguing that such deals help Rwanda improve its global image while the conflict in eastern DR Congo continues.