the nba has once again come under fire for its international partnerships after a Human Rights Watch report accused the league of potentially engaging in “sportswashing” due to its budding relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
the report published Tuesday focused on the league's two preseason games held in Abu Dhabi in October and this year's in-season tournament, rebranded as the Emirates NBA Cup following the league's multi-year global marketing partnership with the airline announced in February.
A view of the opening ceremony during the preseason game between the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 6, 2024. (Waleed Zein/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The report accused the United Arab Emirates of using its new platform as “part of the Emirati government's efforts to distract the attention of the many human rights violations is committing at home and abroad,” adding that the league risks contributing to those efforts by not speaking openly about those violations.
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“The NBA should be aware that the UAE hosts high-profile sporting, entertainment and cultural events to promote a public image of openness and tolerance at odds with the government's rampant systemic violations of human rights,” it said. read in the report.
“The NBA has a responsibility, under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, to respect human rights in all of its operations. This includes adopting specific policies and conducting due diligence to identify risks of contributing to harm to human rights, including polishing the image of States that violate human rights.
The NBA Emirates Cup game between the Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons at Scotiabank Arena on November 15, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. (Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images)
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The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
For the third consecutive season, the NBA held two preseason games with the reigning champion boston celts and the 2023 champions, the Denver Nuggets, in Abu Dhabi in early October. This was part of the 2021 multi-year partnership signed with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
In February, the league also announced Emirates as the official global airline of the NBA and the first NBA referee jersey patch partner.
Tobias Harris of the Detroit Pistons speaks with referee Scott Foster during the NBA Emirates Cup game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 15, 2024. (Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Images)
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This new relationship came after the fallout of 2019, when Chinese state television decided not to broadcast two NBA exhibition games in response to the league's reaction to comments made by the former Houston Rockets CEO Daryl Morey in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
According to a report by ESPN, that blackout lasted for 18 months and more than 10 Chinese sponsors paused or pulled out of their deals.
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