Rwanda’s army team removed from Africa league after US sanctions, NBA says
According to the BBC, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has confirmed that the Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) club has been removed from the Basketball Africa League (BAL) following US sanctions imposed in March. This decision came in response to a letter from US Senators Jeffrey Merkley and Marsha Blackburn, who questioned the NBA's partnership with a team funded by the Rwandan army. The senators warned that the NBA risked becoming complicit in 'sportswashing' by accepting funds from a government accused of systematic human rights abuses and fueling conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum stated that the team would remain barred while US sanctions are in place. Rwanda, an official BAL partner, continues to deny supporting the M23 rebel group, despite facing further US sanctions against its defence ministry.