Irish bookmaker Paddy Power withdraws its sponsorship of former US basketballer Dennis Rodman’s trips to North Korea in response to “recent events”.

Rodman returned from his third trip to North Korea on Monday, ten days after it was revealed that Kim Jong-un’s, powerful uncle Jang Song-thaek, had been executed.

It was really a reaction to the worldwide focus and total condemnation of the North Korean regime over recent events. Paddy Power

On previous trips Rodman has spoken of his friendship with North Korea’s young dictator. He first went to the country in February this year, following a controversial nuclear test. Rodman could be seen on the trips sporting a Paddy Power baseball cap.

Paddy Power has now said that it does not want to be “associated” with the military dictatorship.

“It was really a reaction to the worldwide focus and total condemnation of the North Korean regime over recent events,” the Irish betting firm said in a statement. “We don’t want to be associated with that.”

Watch below: Rodman’s Paddy Power-backed trips to his “friend” Kim Jong-un.



Paddy Power attracted criticism from some human rights groups, including Amnesty International, for sponsoring the trips to the repressive regime.

In September the company announced a basketball “invitational” would take place between North Korea and a team picked by Rodman, in the country’s capital Pyongyang.

However, it appears the recent purge of a political rival has proved too much for Paddy Power.

Earlier this month, Barack Obama’s press secretary Jay Carney said the execution of Kim’s uncle is a sign of “the brutality of the regime” and its “low regard for human life.”

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has described recent events as a “reign of terror”.