NBA Excludes Rwandan Military Team From African League Following US Sanctions

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has confirmed that the Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) basketball team will not participate in the 2026 season of the Basketball Africa League. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum conveyed the decision in a written response to members of the United States Senate, following inquiries into the league's financial links with the Rwandan government.

The decision stems from measures enacted by the United States in March, when Washington placed sanctions on the Rwandan armed forces over their alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Last week, the US expanded measures against Rwanda's ministry of defence, citing its support for the M23 rebel movement, which has occupied territory in eastern DRC. Rwanda denies supporting the armed group. The BBC requested comment from the Rwandan government regarding the team's removal, but received no response.

US Senators Jeffrey Merkley and Marsha Blackburn sent a formal letter to the NBA on 23 October requesting information on the league's partnership with Kigali. The lawmakers questioned the ethical grounds of accepting funding from foreign state entities accused of human rights violations, giving the association until 2 November to explain its stance. In response, Tatum confirmed that the APR club had been withdrawn and would remain excluded from the competition as long as US sanctions remain active.

The APR basketball club, funded directly by the Rwandan military, is one of the country's most prominent sports teams and finished third in the pan-African tournament in both 2024 and 2025. For the upcoming season, the team has been replaced in the league by the RSSB Tigers. Co-organised by the NBA and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Basketball Africa League features 12 professional club teams from across the continent.

Rwanda serves as a main commercial partner for the tournament and pays millions of dollars annually for marketing rights, including hosting the league's playoffs and finals at the 10,000-seat BK Arena in Kigali. Government officials in the DRC have repeatedly called on international sports bodies and European football clubs to terminate marketing agreements with Rwanda, stating that such deals serve to improve the country's public image despite the security crisis in eastern Congo.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com