Visit Rwanda Signs New Deal as Arsenal Protests Continue

While Arsenal fans continue protesting about the club's sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda, the African country's tourism board has signed a deal with another top European football side.

Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have agreed a three-year contract with Visit Rwanda, and their men's and women's teams will carry its logo on their shirts next season.

Rwanda's long-standing partnerships with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain have come under the spotlight after increased violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January.

The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of arming M23 rebels and sending troops to support the militants. Despite assertions from both the United Nations and United States, Rwanda has denied supporting the M23.

A section of Arsenal's support has formed a group named Gunners for Peace and are calling on the Premier League club not to renew its deal with Visit Rwanda as the partnership does not fit the club's "values and standards".

They believe the sleeve sponsorship, which is reportedly worth more than £10m ($13.3m) per year, runs out at the end of this season.

The group has distributed armbands to cover up the Visit Rwanda logo on kits, and held a protest outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.

A small number of fans of the French club donned the armbands and joined followers of the north London outfit in standing behind a banner reading 'Drop Visit Rwanda'.

"I stand with human rights and am not with this kind of sponsor," PSG fan Chakib told BBC Sport Africa.

"We are rivals in football but we are brothers to defend human rights."

Arsenal said the club will not be commenting on the Gunners for Peace campaign, while a Rwanda government spokesperson has defended their sports partnerships and said they helped boost the country's economy.

PSG recently renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028, while Bayern's deal expires the same year.

Fans of both sides have held up banners criticising the partnerships during games this season.

This article was originally published by BBC News