Burundi Team Out Of Basketball Africa League After Jersey Protest

PRETORIA, South Africa: Burundi membership Dynamo has been faraway from the Basketball Africa League after refusing to put on a jersey with the “Visit Rwanda” emblem.

The BAL introduced Tuesday that the group refused to adjust to the league’s guidelines on jersey and uniform necessities.

Dynamo’s gamers use tape to cowl the “Visit Rwanda” emblem on their jerseys Saturday when it beat Cape Town Tigers 86-73 earlier than forfeiting a recreation towards FUS Rabat on Sunday.

Dynamo forfeited Tuesday’s recreation towards Angolan group Petro de Luanda in Pretoria, South Africa.

“Two forfeitures in the same tournament trigger the club’s automatic withdrawal,” BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall stated in an announcement. “This is a very unfortunate situation for the players and fans, and we share the frustrations of everyone involved.”

Burundi closed its borders with Rwanda in January and deported Rwandans after accusing it of backing rebels.

Now in its fourth season, the BAL was created by the NBA in partnership with FIBA. It’s a Champions League-style competitors for African membership groups.

Visit Rwanda, the tourism arm of the Rwanda Development Board, has been a BAL sponsor because the league’s inception. It can also be a sponsor of high-profile soccer groups together with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Burundi basketball federation didn’t reply to a request for remark.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)