Rwanda of 1884 assigned the territory to Germany as part of German East Africa, marking the beginning of the colonial era. The explorer Gustav Adolf von Götzen was the first European to significantly explore the country in 1894; he crossed from the south-east to Lake Kivu and met the king. The Germans did not significantly alter the social structure of the country, but exerted influence by supporting the king and the existing hierarchy and delegating power to local chiefs. Belgian forces took control of Rwanda and Burundi in 1916, during World War I, beginning a period of more direct colonial rule.
Sport in Rwanda Prior to 2000, the Rwanda national basketball team was little known outside the country, but since the mid-2000s has grown in prominence on the African stage. The men's team have qualified for the final stages of the African Basketball Championship four times in a row since 2007. The country bid to host the 2013 African Basketball Championship, but the right to host the tournament was awarded to Ivory Coast instead. Association football in Rwanda is governed by the Fédération Rwandaise de Football Association (FERWAFA), which was established in 1972 and admitted to FIFA in 1978. FERWAFA is also affiliated to