For two seasons, APR carried Rwanda's flag in Africa's top basketball competition and finished third both times. This year the army-funded club was missing, and the NBA has now said why: US sanctions on Rwanda's military.

In a reply to two US senators, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said the Rwandan team "had been withdrawn" from the Basketball Africa League (BAL) after Washington imposed sanctions in March, the BBC reports, citing ESPN. It is the first time the league has explained the decision.

The NBA said APR will stay barred for as long as the sanctions remain in place. The RSSB Tigers took Rwanda's place in this year's competition.

Senators' warning

The explanation came after Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn wrote to the NBA on October 23, giving it until November 2 to respond in writing about its partnership with Rwanda.

They warned the league risked "becoming complicit in sportswashing by accepting money from a Rwandan government that systematically abuses human rights", and asked: "What is the NBA red line for accepting money from foreign governments that commit human rights abuses?"

Why the sanctions

The United States sanctioned Rwanda's army in March, accusing it of fuelling the conflict in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels have seized large areas. Last week Washington also sanctioned Rwanda's defence ministry over its support for M23. Kigali denies backing the rebels.

DR Congo has long condemned Rwanda's sports sponsorships, including deals with the NBA, European football clubs and Formula 1, arguing they polish Rwanda's image while the war goes on.

Kigali's prized partnership

The ruling does not end Rwanda's wider ties with the league. Rwanda is an official BAL partner and pays to host the finals at the 10,000-seat BK Arena in Kigali, which has staged all but one final and playoff round since 2021. The NBA reportedly earns millions of dollars a year from Rwanda for marketing and partnership rights.

The BAL, run jointly by the NBA and FIBA, brings together 12 club sides from across Africa, making it the continent's flagship basketball competition and a stage East African clubs fight to reach.

The BBC said it had asked the Rwandan government for comment. The decision is likely to add to pressure on international sports bodies over their deals with Kigali as the US tightens sanctions linked to the DR Congo war.

Photos: Baraka official via Wikimedia Commons (CC0, BK Arena, Kigali); VOA Afrique via Wikimedia Commons (public domain, BAL logo unveiling in Kigali). Thumbnail design: HAMASTA MEDIA.