Aston Villa business chief defends Visit Rwanda shirt deal | OneFootball

Aston Villa’s business chief Francesco Calvo has defended the club’s new Visit Rwanda front-of-shirt deal, insisting the partnership could have a positive impact despite human rights concerns.

According to ExpressAndStar.com, the agreement, understood to be worth nearly £20m a year, was confirmed earlier this week and has drawn objections from Amnesty International, which says Rwanda will use it for sportswashing.

Calvo, who negotiated the contract, argued it is not for football clubs to take positions on geopolitics. He said the club must stay true to its values while aiming to inspire people in Rwanda and support football development there.

Villa were compelled to replace former shirt sponsor Betano due to new Premier League rules on gambling. Calvo, who succeeded Chris Heck last year, called the market difficult yet believes Villa are the only club to have increased their deal’s value. He added the agreement is the most lucrative in the club’s history and that a sleeve sponsor is close.

Visit Rwanda’s tie-ups with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have previously faced fan protests. The UN has accused Rwanda’s government of backing the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Villa carried out their own checks and, despite similar offers from elsewhere, Calvo felt this presented the best long-term fit.

He believes the partnership could broaden Villa’s reach in Africa, with many expecting sub-Saharan markets to grow. Calvo said representing a country, rather than a company, brings added responsibility, and that money, brand prestige and marketing activations were the key criteria met by this deal.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com