The NBA's expanding ties with the UAE raise serious concerns about sportswashing and the league's role in promoting a country with a deplorable human rights record. This issue is particularly pertinent as the 2026 NBA Finals series unfolds.
The UAE has become adept at hosting high-profile events, from sports to entertainment, to project an image of openness and tolerance that contrasts sharply with its domestic and international human rights abuses. Despite a zero-tolerance policy towards dissent at home and abroad, the UAE uses these events to whitewash its reputation.
One of the most concerning aspects is the UAE's military support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accused of committing atrocities. As the NBA prominently displays Emirates logos during the 2026 Finals, it risks being complicit in this abuse. Human Rights Watch's recent report reveals how Colombian private military contractors, apparently hired by a UAE-based company, transited through UAE military facilities before deploying to Sudan to support the RSF.
The NBA's financial partnership with the UAE has grown significantly over the last five years. In 2021, the NBA signed a multi-year deal with the UAE's Department of Culture and Tourism to host games in the UAE, and this partnership was extended in 2026, potentially worth over $300 million. Emirates airline, a state-owned company, also signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the NBA, generating substantial advertising revenue.
The NBA must take responsibility for ensuring its games are not used to distract from the UAE's human rights abuses. The United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights outline the league's responsibilities, including conducting due diligence to identify risks of contributing to human rights harm.
Human Rights Watch has urged the NBA to develop a human rights risk mitigation strategy, including speaking out about the UAE's abuses. The organization has also asked the NBA about any clauses restricting their freedom to speak out, but the league has not responded.
A coalition of civil society organizations is calling on the NBA to end its partnership with the UAE until it ceases its involvement in atrocities in Sudan. Over three years, numerous reports have documented the UAE's support for the RSF, contributing to a humanitarian catastrophe that has displaced millions.
The UAE's authoritarian government has launched an assault on rights and freedoms, including the unfair mass trial of human rights defenders and political dissidents, leading to the complete closure of civic space. Well-known Emirati human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor has been imprisoned in an isolation cell since 2017.
Migrant workers in the UAE are governed by the abusive kafala system, making them vulnerable to wage theft and other abuses. The country's extreme heat also poses health risks, and the lack of trade unions inhibits workers' ability to demand better protections.
The NBA and its officials and sponsors must address the risk of sportswashing by taking action, such as speaking out about the UAE's human rights record and calling for the release of Ahmed Mansoor and an end to migrant worker abuse. This is a critical moment for the league to demonstrate its commitment to human rights and not be used as a tool for the UAE's reputation laundering.
