Amnesty International warns Aston Villa that its new sponsorship arrangement with Visit Rwanda may be used to “sportswash” Rwanda’s human rights record. The warning follows Aston Villa’s announcement of a sponsorship deal with Rwanda’s tourism initiative on Tuesday. The BBC reports the agreement is worth £20 million per year, while other outlets note only that the deal has been announced. Amnesty’s position is that high-profile sports partnerships can be used to improve a country’s public image despite ongoing or documented human rights concerns. The outlets agree that the sponsorship involves Visit Rwanda and that Amnesty has issued the warning to the club in response to the announcement. The reporting does not indicate that Amnesty is challenging the commercial terms of the deal itself, but it raises concerns about how the sponsorship could be perceived and leveraged. Overall, the coverage centers on Amnesty’s critique of the potential reputational effect of the partnership between the football club and Rwanda’s tourism brand.