Burundi’s Dynamo withdrawn from BAL over jersey row

Burundi club Dynamo have been withdrawn from the NBA's Basketball Africa League after refusing to wear a jersey with a "Visit Rwanda" logo on it during Kalahari Conference games in Pretoria on Tuesday, forfeiting two games in a row.

The border between neighbours Burundi and Rwanda was closed in January after the president of the former, Evariste Ndayishimiye, accused Paul Kagame's government of backing the RED-Tabara rebel militia.

Dynamo taped over the logo in their opening game in Pretoria against Cape Town Tigers, but forfeited matches against Moroccan side FUS Rabat on Sunday and Petro de Luanda on Tuesday after failing to display the logo.

Dynamo’s American guard Bryton Hobbs took to social media to reveal his frustration, saying the instruction to cover the logo had come from the Burundi government.

"The government told our (club) president (Joe Dassin) that we can't play, so they told the BAL that we have to forfeit our game because we blocked out the 'Visit Rwanda' thing," Hobbs said in an Instagram Live post on Sunday.

"My thing is: We knew what we were getting into coming into the BAL. People had to sign contracts with the sponsors in the contracts and stuff like that, so they knew what they were getting themselves into."

BAL president Amadou Gallo said in a statement on Tuesday the league had little choice but to expel the club.

"Dynamo Basketball Club has further refused to comply with the Basketball Africa League’s rules and requirements governing jerseys and uniforms, thereby forfeiting today’s game against Petro de Luanda and its participation in the 2024 BAL season.

"Under FIBA rules, two forfeitures in the same tournament trigger the club’s automatic withdrawal. This is a very unfortunate situation for the players and fans, and we share the frustrations of everyone involved."