Amnesty accuses F1 of offering Rwanda a 'sportswashing prize' with race deal
Amnesty International accused Formula One of offering Rwanda a “sportswashing prize” through a 10-year African Grand Prix deal. The race is planned for the early 2030s near a new international airport south of Kigali and would be the first in Africa since 1993.
1. Amnesty criticizes deal
Amnesty International accused Formula One of partnering with Rwanda despite what it described as the authorities’ record of arbitrary detention, torture and repression of free speech. Amnesty UK campaigns head Felix Jakens said Formula One should push for change rather than lend its brand to a public relations exercise.
2. Race plans and response
The 10-year deal, announced on Tuesday, envisages a race sometime in the early 2030s at a circuit yet to be built near a new international airport south of Kigali. Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said the deal would change how Africa is perceived in world sport. A Formula One spokesperson said the sport had an opportunity to bring its passion to 100 million people across Africa and could be a positive force for good.
3. Wider sponsorship context
Rwanda’s tourism board has sponsorship agreements with Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid, Paris St Germain, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Rams, among others. Kagame has been praised for helping end the 1994 genocide and rebuilding Rwanda, while also facing accusations of cracking down on critics and supporting the M23 rebel group in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
