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| Barcelona-DR Congo: Spanish side agree four-year shirt sponsorship deal | Barcelona-DR Congo: Spanish side agree four-year shirt sponsorship deal |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Despite criticism, the Congolese government says the deal with raise the profile of the country | Despite criticism, the Congolese government says the deal with raise the profile of the country |
| Barcelona players will have "DR Congo - Heart of Africa" emblazoned on the back of their training shirts from the start of next season, after the top Spanish football team agreed on a four-year deal with the central African country. | Barcelona players will have "DR Congo - Heart of Africa" emblazoned on the back of their training shirts from the start of next season, after the top Spanish football team agreed on a four-year deal with the central African country. |
| The partnership will reportedly cost the Democratic Republic of Congo 44m euros ($50m; £38m), although the club has not disclosed the figure it will receive. | |
| The arrangement has faced criticism from some Congolese who have questioned their government's priorities, especially as its domestic football league has been plagued by chronic underfunding for years. | The arrangement has faced criticism from some Congolese who have questioned their government's priorities, especially as its domestic football league has been plagued by chronic underfunding for years. |
| But the authorities have defended the agreement, saying that it will help raise the profile of the country. | But the authorities have defended the agreement, saying that it will help raise the profile of the country. |
| As part of the deal, Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium will host what the club called an "immersive exhibition... to showcase the cultural diversity and sporting tradition" of DR Congo. | As part of the deal, Barcelona's Camp Nou stadium will host what the club called an "immersive exhibition... to showcase the cultural diversity and sporting tradition" of DR Congo. |
| The country's sports minister Didier Budimbu told BBC Focus on Africa that the agreement includes a training camp for 50 young Congolese players and 10 coaches. | |
| Barcelona says it will also run camps for children across a range of sports, including basketball, handball and roller hockey. | Barcelona says it will also run camps for children across a range of sports, including basketball, handball and roller hockey. |
| DR Congo has signed similar deals with Italian side AC Milan and French team AS Monaco. Last month, Budimbu described them as part of a strategy to "reposition" DR Congo as a leader in tourism and investment opportunities. | |
| Since 2018, DR Congo's regional rival Rwanda has had a sponsorship deal with English side Arsenal promoting tourism in the country with the slogan "Visit Rwanda" on the sleeves of the players' shirts. French team Paris St-Germain and German side Bayern Munich have similar deals. | Since 2018, DR Congo's regional rival Rwanda has had a sponsorship deal with English side Arsenal promoting tourism in the country with the slogan "Visit Rwanda" on the sleeves of the players' shirts. French team Paris St-Germain and German side Bayern Munich have similar deals. |
| These have also come under fire, especially recently as Rwanda has been accused of backing rebels in DR Congo in a devastating conflict in the east, which it denies. | These have also come under fire, especially recently as Rwanda has been accused of backing rebels in DR Congo in a devastating conflict in the east, which it denies. |
| In February, DR Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner wrote to the clubs questioning the "morality" of the arrangement. | In February, DR Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner wrote to the clubs questioning the "morality" of the arrangement. |
| The Rwandan government dismissed the accusations of sports-washing as a "distraction". | The Rwandan government dismissed the accusations of sports-washing as a "distraction". |
| In June, Rwanda and the DR Congo signed a peace deal aimed at ending decades of the devastating conflict. | |
| In 2023, a deal that South Africa's tourism board pursued with Tottenham Hotspur did not come to fruition after complaints from the public. | In 2023, a deal that South Africa's tourism board pursued with Tottenham Hotspur did not come to fruition after complaints from the public. |
| Despite similar noises from some quarters in DR Congo, this arrangement has gone ahead. | Despite similar noises from some quarters in DR Congo, this arrangement has gone ahead. |
| Since the onset of Covid-19, the country's national football league has struggled, mostly for lack of funding for travel across the vast country. | Since the onset of Covid-19, the country's national football league has struggled, mostly for lack of funding for travel across the vast country. |
| Some critics have expressed concern that the European deals could overshadow the conflict in the east and the government's troubling human rights record. | Some critics have expressed concern that the European deals could overshadow the conflict in the east and the government's troubling human rights record. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| Arsenal, PSG and Bayern urged to end Visit Rwanda deals | Arsenal, PSG and Bayern urged to end Visit Rwanda deals |
| What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? | What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? |
| Your phone, a rare metal and the war in DR Congo | Your phone, a rare metal and the war in DR Congo |
| Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. | Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. |
| Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica | Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica |