A deal was signed between Rwanda and the top football club in Germany, FC Bayern Munich, to promote local football and tourism, but detractors have criticized the move as an attempt to “sportswash” the poor human rights record of the East African country.
As part of the five-year agreement made for an undisclosed sum, the “Visit Rwanda” logo will be displayed at the 75,000-seater stadium of the German team on game days.
A new FC Bayern youth academy in Rwanda, according to the government, will benefit up to 30 talented children.
According to Jan-Christian Dreesen, the company’s chief executive, this deal also gives Germany’s top team an opportunity to “become active on the African continent and gather important experiences”.
Despite having sponsorship agreements with Paris St-Germain and Arsenal, Kigali’s football teams have not had much success at the regional and continental levels.
Many Rwandans live in poverty, critics claim, and these deals are a waste of valuable resources on wealthy European clubs.
Source-BBC
