Human Rights Watch (HRW) has cautioned that Formula One’s (F1) landmark ten-year agreement to host an African Grand Prix in Rwanda risks being exploited for “sportswashing” amid serious human rights concerns.
The rights watchdog highlighted longstanding apprehensions surrounding government suppression of dissent, the targeting of independent journalists and political opponents, and previous practices of detaining marginalised individuals ahead of major international showcases.
HRW has called on F1 to carry out rigorous human rights risk assessments and institute enforceable safeguards with measurable benchmarks into its partnership with Kigali ahead of the planned race in the early 2030s.
–ChannelAfrica/HRW–
