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 to compete in athletics, powerlifting and sitting volleyball. Rwanda competed in the Commonwealth Games for the first time at the 2010 Games in Delhi, India, after joining the Commonwealth the year before. Rwandan competitors took part in athletics, boxing, road cycling and swimming. Rwanda sent athletes to the 2014 Games to compete in athletics, boxing, cycling, swimming and weightlifting. Rwanda's team at the 2014 African Youth Games had the highest proportion of female athletes (29 out of a total of 49 athletes) of any participating country. Rwanda's basketball federation has been a member of the International Basketball Federation since 1977.