When the poor sponsor the rich: Rwanda and Arsenal FC

Filip Reyntjens* tells how one of the world’s poorest countries came to sponsor one of the Britain’s richest soccer teams

Arsenal FC’s new sponsor is Rwanda. Twitter/@Arsenal

Rwanda keeps surprising. Recently the Rwandan Development Board signed a sleeve sponsoring deal with London Premier League club, Arsenal. Over a three-year period, the 200 sq centimetre ad “Visit Rwanda” will cost the country USD$39 million.

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IAAF: Who is the ‘real’ Sebastian Coe?

Comment: The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), headed by its newly-elected president Sebastian Coe, has suspended Russia’s track and field federation by a 22-1 vote. The vote came within one week of a controversial report issued by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) citing Russia – and no other country – for doping violations under the pretext of high ideals. The meeting in London was hastily convened by Coe, himself a vice-president of the IAAF since 2007. ANDREAS SELLIAAS* analyses Coe’s compromised background and comments on his mounting challenges. Originally posted on this blog on August 20, 2015

Will newly elected athletics president Seb Coe (photo) get the IAAF back on its feet? | Andy Miah/Flickr

(August 20) — Lord Sebastian Coe was Wednesday elected as new president of theInternational Association of Athletics Federations ahead of Sergey Bubka. Winning 115-92 was a comfortable, but not overwhelming victory. But for the former middle distance ace and successful leader of the 2012 London Olympics this was a great day.

EUFA: Georgian provocation against Azerbaijan

Civil.ge (August 1) – Scuffles between Georgian and Azerbaijani football fans at a stadium in Baku prompted the two countries’ presidents to speak on phone on August 1 and the Georgian PM had to release a statement reiterating “friendship and partnership” with Azerbaijan.

The incident in question occurred on July 31 during UEFA Europa League third qualifying round’s first leg match between FC Chikhura from a small town of Sachkhere in Georgia’s Imereti region and Baku’s Neftçi PFK.

The match, which ended with goalless draw, was marred by scuffles reportedly triggered by a huge banner that was displayed by Georgian football fans and which was depicting a map of Georgia with parts of Azerbaijani territory, Zaqatala and Qax regions, also included on it.