US Senators challenge NBA partnership with Rwanda

Two US senators, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, have urged the NBA to reconsider its commercial relationship with Rwanda. The senators expressed concerns that the league risks engaging in “sportswashing” due to Rwanda’s alleged role in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically regarding support for the M23 rebel group.

In response to the inquiry, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum stated that the Rwandan army-backed basketball team, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR), has been removed from the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL). The NBA confirmed the team will remain barred from the competition for as long as US sanctions against the Rwandan military, imposed in March 2026, remain in place. APR was replaced in the competition by the RSSB Tigers.

Rwanda pays the NBA approximately $6 million to $7 million annually for a partnership that includes “Visit Rwanda” branding and hosting stages of the BAL. The relationship also includes a multiyear jersey-patch sponsorship deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. While Rwanda has defended its sports investments as a strategy to promote tourism and investment, officials deny supporting the M23 rebels.