The Arsenal hierarchy were braced for the potential backlash.
Partnering with an impoverished nation suffering from crisis, including allegations of politically motivated murders, was always going to court controversy. But as is the way in football, money talks.
The figures involved were too good to be sniffed at. The Gunners first signed a £10million-per-year shirt sleeve agreement with Visit Rwanda in 2018, lasting three seasons. Then in 2021, the club extended the partnership to the summer of 2025.
As well as appearing on shirt sleeves of Arsenal’s men’s, women’s and youth teams, the Visit Rwanda logo is also on LED boards on matchdays at the Emirates Stadium and interview backdrops.