NBA withdraws Rwanda's APR from Basketball Africa League over US sanctions

NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said the Rwandan army team APR had been withdrawn from the Basketball Africa League after US sanctions were imposed earlier in the year, and the club will remain barred while the sanctions stay in place. APR represented Rwanda in the BAL in 2024 and 2025, coming third in 2025, and was replaced by RSSB Tigers this year. The BAL is a pan-African basketball league established and co-organized by the NBA and FIBA. Rwanda has hosted all but one of the league's final and playoff matches since the inaugural match in 2021. The NBA receives millions of dollars annually from Rwanda for marketing and partnership rights, according to the report. Democratic Senator Jeffrey Merkley and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn wrote to the NBA on 23 October, demanding a written response by 2 November on the league's continued partnership with Rwanda. DR Congo has condemned Rwanda's sports deals with the NBA and other international bodies, saying they help Rwanda improve its global image while the conflict continues in eastern DR Congo.