Require the NBA end all business with the UAE until they cease funding the RSF in Sudan
Require the NBA end all business with the UAE until they cease funding the RSF in Sudan
The Issue
At least 150,000 people have been killed in Sudan since the start of a brutal civil war there in 2023. Hundreds of thousands more have been raped, starved, beaten, and displaced. Most of the atrocities and near-genocidal activities have been committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF recently took over the city of El Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region, committing so many blatant war crimes that the blood-soaked ground could be observed from space.
The United Arab Emirates, although they deny it, are the chief supplier of weapons and logistics to the RSF-- enabling them to continue their rampant abuses against their own people. This fact has been verified by independent news organizations, human rights groups, and lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad.
In recent years, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has become increasingly intertwined in business deals with the UAE-- whether that's the New York Knicks' deal with Experience Abu Dhabi, or the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines becoming the sponsor of the newly created NBA Cup. Millions of dollars have flowed between the two parties over the last few years. By doing so, the NBA has given a level of credibility to the UAE's actions that it does not deserve.
This cannot continue. As long as the UAE is sponsoring genocidal actions in Sudan, the NBA should not allow any business with the country to occur. By putting economic pressure on the UAE, the NBA can have a direct and positive impact on the future of Sudan and its people. So far, however, they have chosen to ignore the facts in favor of turning a profit. This is shameful from an organization that likes to fashion itself as the progressive, "social-justice minded" sports league in the United States.
As the situation only worsens in Sudan, the NBA must divest from any and all business dealings with the UAE immediately. This includes the removal of Emirates Airlines as the sponsor for the NBA Cup, and any planned games/events in the UAE in the future.
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The Issue
At least 150,000 people have been killed in Sudan since the start of a brutal civil war there in 2023. Hundreds of thousands more have been raped, starved, beaten, and displaced. Most of the atrocities and near-genocidal activities have been committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF recently took over the city of El Fasher in Sudan's Darfur region, committing so many blatant war crimes that the blood-soaked ground could be observed from space.
The United Arab Emirates, although they deny it, are the chief supplier of weapons and logistics to the RSF-- enabling them to continue their rampant abuses against their own people. This fact has been verified by independent news organizations, human rights groups, and lawmakers in the U.S. and abroad.
In recent years, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has become increasingly intertwined in business deals with the UAE-- whether that's the New York Knicks' deal with Experience Abu Dhabi, or the Dubai-based Emirates Airlines becoming the sponsor of the newly created NBA Cup. Millions of dollars have flowed between the two parties over the last few years. By doing so, the NBA has given a level of credibility to the UAE's actions that it does not deserve.
This cannot continue. As long as the UAE is sponsoring genocidal actions in Sudan, the NBA should not allow any business with the country to occur. By putting economic pressure on the UAE, the NBA can have a direct and positive impact on the future of Sudan and its people. So far, however, they have chosen to ignore the facts in favor of turning a profit. This is shameful from an organization that likes to fashion itself as the progressive, "social-justice minded" sports league in the United States.
As the situation only worsens in Sudan, the NBA must divest from any and all business dealings with the UAE immediately. This includes the removal of Emirates Airlines as the sponsor for the NBA Cup, and any planned games/events in the UAE in the future.
Please share this petition with anyone and everyone!
27
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Petition created on November 6, 2025