Following the latest news about ongoing conflicts at the border between Congo and Rwanda, in Belgium - which previously had colonies in Africa - questions have intensified for Golazo, the Belgian sports event organizing company that signed a collaboration contract with the Rwandan cycling federation a year ago for organizing the upcoming world championships in Kigali. Not only in Belgium, but in other nations, people are questioning whether a country like Rwanda, involved in a conflict, has the right to host a world sporting event that also carries messages of peace, brotherhood, and opportunity. Belgian newspapers have thus asked Gert Van Goolen of Golazo to respond to questions regarding the crisis at the Rwanda-Congo border.

«To be clear, we are not the organizers of the World Championship - Gert Van Goolen of Golazo stated unequivocally - The World Championships are organized by the International Cycling Union, we were hired by them as subcontractors. We were exclusively tasked with practical and logistical implementation. Therefore, it is not up to us but to the UCI to make a decision in this matter».

Insistent questions arose after yesterday's events, where in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the embassies of Belgium, Netherlands, United States, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda were attacked by protesters while hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing due to fighting in the eastern part of the country. Police fired tear gas while protesters marched towards the embassies, attempting to loot or set fire to parts of the diplomatic buildings. The protests were organized against the advance of M23 rebels, supported by Rwanda, who have captured the city of Goma.

Certainly, Golazo cannot cancel the Cycling World Championships or move them to another country, but they could choose to no longer be involved in the event. It should be noted that to date, none of the parties involved in the organization has spoken of a plan B, and therefore the World Championship, unless there are new indications, will be held in September in Kigali. «We have a contractual partnership that cannot simply be terminated. We will wait and see what decision the UCI will make and then we will see what we will do».

Monday morning, Golazo contacted the UCI regarding the issue, explaining that they are committed to closely monitoring the situation in eastern Congo.

As is well known, Belgium has a particular connection with these territories, as parts of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi were its colonies until the early 1960s, and therefore the participation of a Belgian company in the Kigali World Championship at this moment could be viewed negatively in conflict territories.

Further information on political issues between Belgium and its former colonies came from Belgian Johan Swinnen, who was a diplomat in Rwanda and Congo in the 1990s during the genocide. According to Swinnen, there is an urgent need for the international community to send a signal to Paul Kagame's regime, president of Rwanda since 2000. According to Swinnen, even the cancellation or relocation of the Cycling World Championships could be part of this hypothesis.

«This would not be an invasive or neo-colonial attitude. We are facing violations of international law and human rights - Swinnen told the Belgian press -. It is our duty to oppose this. The Cycling World Championship represents exactly the opposite and is a unique opportunity for Kagame to spread a different image to the world and hide his crimes. Or do you think the Rwandan people will benefit from such a World Championship?»

The situation is politically and morally difficult for those, like Belgium and consequently a company like Golazo, who have had direct involvement with these territories. Meanwhile, they are also awaiting news from Nelly Mukazayire, the Rwandan sports minister elected last December. Mukazayire is convinced that the Cycling World Championships are a great opportunity for Rwanda and regarding the guerrilla warfare at the Congo border, she is not too concerned, as it is an area where small uprisings have been recorded for over a decade. Therefore, at the moment, the Rwandan government does not see any difficulties in holding the event.

photo - still from YouTube