(Johannesburg = Yonhap News) Correspondent Na Gwan-jin = Rwanda, a landlocked country in East Africa, has decided to host the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix on the African continent for the first time in 30 years.
With the resumption of F1 hosting in Africa, which was discontinued after the 1993 South African race, Rwanda plans to attract tourism and investment and raise its international status through world-class sporting events.
According to foreign media such as the BBC on the 15th (local time), F1 and the Rwandan government announced a 10-year contract to host the 'F1 African Grand Prix' in Rwanda on the 13th.
The first competition will be held after the construction of a new circuit in Bugesera, about 40km south of the capital Kigali.
F1 introduced Africa as one of its promising growth markets, saying that more than 100 million people across the continent are watching F1, and in sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of fans are under the age of 35.
“This 10-year partnership is an investment in Rwanda’s future,” said Rwandan President Paul Kagame. “The Bugesera Circuit, together with the new international airport, will bring jobs, technology, tourism and new business opportunities to our country and region for decades.”
F1 only announced that the first competition would be held in the early 2030s when the Bugesera Circuit is completed. He explained that the specific holding date, circuit development schedule, and competition operation plan will be announced later.
The only countries in Africa that have so far hosted F1 competitions are Morocco and South Africa.
Morocco held the competition once near Casablanca in 1958, and South Africa held it several times since 1962, but the competition was suspended for a long time due to international criticism of apartheid (the policy of segregation and discrimination against blacks by the former white government of South Africa), and was no longer held until the competition held in Kialami near Johannesburg in 1993.
With Rwanda's signing of this contract, attention is also focused on South Africa's competition to host the site. South Africa has been pushing to host F1 again in Kyala Mina Cape Town.
South Africa's Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, congratulated Rwanda on hosting F1 in a post posted on
Minister McKenzie said, “Only one country, Italy, holds F1 twice a year,” and emphasized that it is not necessary for a continent with 55 countries to host only one race.
Blue Mountain Racing (BMR), a South African private consortium, is also preparing to build a motorsports complex worth 6.7 billion rand (about 545.5 billion won) in Swatland, Western Cape, north of Cape Town, with the goal of hosting F1 in 2031.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that controversy over 'sportswashing' was raised surrounding Rwanda's bid to host F1. Sportswashing is a compound word of sports and whitewashing (erasing bad publicity due to corruption, scandals, etc.) and refers to the practice of countries, companies, and organizations using sports to conceal various problems and launder their image.
Felix Jackens, campaign director at human rights group Amnesty International UK, said the deal was "a gift of 'sportswashing' to the Rwandan government," adding, "Rwanda is investing in the world's biggest sport to divert attention from its appalling human rights record and improve its image."
Rwanda has previously received similar criticism while sponsoring several famous European soccer clubs and hosting international competitions such as cycling and basketball through the tourism promotion brand 'Visit Rwanda'.
In relation to this, the Chief Tourism Officer of the Rwanda Tourism Board countered in a past interview, saying, "This is an attempt to divert attention from the amazing and outstanding achievements that Rwanda has achieved," and "The benefits of hosting the event go to all Rwandan citizens."
