PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) 鈥� Burundi club Dynamo has been removed from the Basketball Africa League after refusing to wear a jersey with the 鈥淰isit Rwanda鈥� logo.
The BAL announced Tuesday that the team refused to comply with the league鈥檚 rules on jersey and uniform requirements.
Dynamo鈥檚 players use tape to cover the 鈥淰isit Rwanda鈥� logo on their jerseys Saturday when it beat before forfeiting a game against FUS Rabat on Sunday.
Dynamo forfeited Tuesday鈥檚 game against Angolan team Petro de Luanda in Pretoria, South Africa.
鈥淭wo forfeitures in the same tournament trigger the club鈥檚 automatic withdrawal," BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall said in a statement. 鈥淭his is a very unfortunate situation for the players and fans, and we share the frustrations of everyone involved.鈥�
Burundi closed its borders with Rwanda in January and deported Rwandans after
Now in its fourth season, the BAL was created by the NBA in partnership with FIBA. It鈥檚 a Champions League-style competition for African club teams.
Visit Rwanda, the tourism arm of the Rwanda Development Board, has been a BAL sponsor since the league's inception. It is also a sponsor of high-profile soccer teams including Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
The Burundi basketball federation did not respond to a request for comment.
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