Amnesty International has strongly criticised Formula 1’s decision to bring the championship to Rwanda, accusing the country of using the new African Grand Prix as part of a wider sportswashing strategy. The human rights organisation raised concerns after Formula 1 announced a 10-year agreement that will take the World Championship back to Africa from the beginning of the 2030s.
The new race is planned for a circuit that will be built in Bugesera, Rwanda, and will officially be known as the African Grand Prix. The agreement represents Formula 1’s confirmed return to Africa under a 10-year Rwanda deal, ending an absence from the continent that stretches back to 1993.
Formula 1 will return to Africa with Rwanda Grand Prix
Formula 1 announced that it will return to the African continent at the beginning of the 2030s, with Rwanda selected to stage the event at a new circuit in Bugesera. The agreement will run for ten years.
The championship last raced in Africa at Kyalami in 1993, when Alain Prost won ahead of Ayrton Senna. That long absence has made the African return one of Formula 1’s most significant calendar developments, following years of discussions involving both Rwanda and South Africa. The championship’s previous African venues and historical results can also be explored through the Formula 1 circuit records and statistics.
Amnesty International accuses Rwanda of sportswashing through Formula 1
Amnesty International has now publicly criticised the decision. Felix Jakens, the organisation’s UK head of campaigns, argued that a ten-year Grand Prix presented by Visit Rwanda amounts to a reward for what he described as sportswashing by the Rwandan authorities.
“A Grand Prix for ten years ‘presented by Visit Rwanda’ is a reward for sportswashing for the Rwandan authorities. First Arsenal, then Aston Villa, the cycling World Championships and now Formula 1: Rwanda is investing in the world’s biggest sporting events to improve its image and divert attention from the terrible human rights situation,” Felix Jakens said.
The Amnesty International representative also directed his criticism towards Formula 1’s ownership and the championship’s stated commitment to using sport positively.
“Formula 1 says that sport can be ‘a positive force for good’. Those are empty words if F1 does not care who its partners are. The Rwandan authorities are known for arbitrary detention, torture and the repression of freedom of speech,” Felix Jakens added.
Visit Rwanda partnerships come under renewed scrutiny
Amnesty International’s criticism also places renewed attention on Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who has been in power since 2000. According to Human Rights Watch, Paul Kagame has militarily supported the M23 armed rebel group in Congo, which has been accused of summary executions, arbitrary detention, torture, forced labour involving minors, deportations, sexual violence and intimidation of journalists and activists.
Paul Kagame has also faced criticism over the repression of political dissent and restrictions on freedom of expression and press freedom. Rwanda’s 2024 presidential election was won by the incumbent with 99 per cent of the vote.
The Visit Rwanda campaign was created to strengthen the country’s international image while attracting investment and tourism. The brand has become increasingly prominent in Western sport through sponsorship agreements involving Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Aston Villa and Arsenal, as well as the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams.
Visit Rwanda branding was also prominently displayed among FIA and Formula 1 partners during the press conference held in Rwanda. The development comes as the country prepares for a long-term place on the F1 calendar, with the decision to call the event the African Grand Prix rather than the Rwanda Grand Prix reflecting ambitions to give the project a broader continental identity.
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