‘Wasted money’: Rwanda splurges on sports despite criticism

By AFP

A “famous” third club is on the cards for Rwanda, according to President Paul Kagame, who has spent a small fortune on sports investments that he says will burnish the international image and diversify the economy of the tiny central African country.

First, it was a multi-million dollar sponsorship of English Premier League club Arsenal in 2018, followed by a splashy deal to back French giants Paris Saint-Germain a year later.

Now, a “famous” third club is on the cards for Rwanda, according to President Paul Kagame, who has spent a small fortune on sports investments that he says will burnish the international image and diversify the economy of the tiny central African country.

But the splurge, which includes club sponsorships and hosting duties for events ranging from 2021’s Basketball Africa league tournament to cycling’s Road World Championships in 2025, has drawn accusations of “sports-washing”, or using sports to hide the country’s grim human rights record.