"Curious" Tom Dumoulin faced criticism after Rwanda trip: "Sometimes you make a misjudgment"

These reports relate to the unrest and human rights situation in the country. Rwanda ranks at the bottom of the Human Rights Watch Index of human rights. Amnesty International also reports on inequalities, disappearances, and abuse. Journalist Thomas Sijtsma visited the country and wrote down his findings.

Just before the World Championship, former cyclists Tom Dumoulin, Bram Tankink, and Simon Geschke, among others, also visited the country in controversy. The trio did so at the invitation of Visit Rwanda, an organization that aims to promote tourism in the country but is also seen as a propaganda tool for the government.

During the broadcast of NOS Studio Sport on Sunday afternoon, Dumoulin, as an analyst at the table, reflected on his visit to Rwanda. The winner of the 2017 Giro d'Italia explained why he traveled to the Central African country and also said that he had received some criticism for his trip.

Dumoulin explains that he traveled to the country for innocent reasons. “At the invitation of Visit Rwanda, I spent four days visiting the capital, Kigali, and some of the country's tourist attractions. I accepted the invitation because it is fascinating that the World Championship is being held in Africa for the first time.”

Dumoulin had become "curious": "How is it possible that I know nothing about a country like Rwanda? All I knew about it was the terrible genocide and that an authoritarian regime was in power. So I accepted the invitation." And so Dumoulin traveled to the other continent, with his bike, of course.

Once home, the criticism came. “And then I came under fire from some journalists and people at home in my circle. They said I had allowed myself to be exploited for sportswashing. Was I being naive? Yes, perhaps. My curiosity guided me, and perhaps I didn't delve deeply enough into the country's problems. Sometimes you make a misjudgment.”

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Remco Evenepoel's wife, Oumi Rayane, shared a photo after the World Championships showing that she had been to Rwanda. In it, she explains her decision to travel to Africa. "My values are clear: I am against all forms of human suffering, anywhere in the world," Oumi writes on her Instagram story.

"Injustice is injustice. That's why, before my trip, I made a donation to an organization that helps people in the affected region. The reason I'm here is not because we chose this location as a 'holiday’. The World Championships are being organized here by the UCI, and I came along to support my husband."

“During this trip, I have met people who are kind, humble, and welcoming, even in difficult circumstances,” she continues. “My respect and solidarity always lie with ordinary people, never with governments that cause suffering. Peace and love ❤️.”