In Sierra Leone the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) will in collaboration with Coca Cola Company bring the World Cup to State House today where President Ernest Bai Koroma will officially receive it.
According to the local organizers, Freetown Cold Storage, the World Cup will only be touched by the President under the tightest of security before it will depart the shores of Sierra Leone.
FIFA and The Coca-Cola Company are taking the real solid-gold trophy to 86 countries during a 225-day journey, allowing thousands of fans to enjoy a rare close-up view of the authentic FIFA World Cup Trophy.
The trophy will travel 134,017 kilometres (83,274 miles) and visit every nation in Africa to give African fans the once-in-a-lifetime experience of having their picture taken with the trophy.
In Sierra Leone, the venue had to be changed at the last minute because of security reasons. Only 500 guests and 50 journalists will have the opportunity to go to State House for the ceremony.
Immediately after the ceremony, the trophy will be whisked out of the country. This event will engage football fans on a large scale, giving them the unique opportunity to have their picture taken with the most prestigious prize in world football and to embrace the excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour takes in all 54 nations in Africa and this opportunity is thus afforded to all African football fans. None of this would have been possible without the strong and loyal partnership of Coca-Cola who are the biggest beverage company in the whole world.
Coca Cola believes the program to support the 2010 FIFA World Cup, such as the Trophy Tour, will leave a lifelong impression on consumers and help to reinforce loyalty and preference for their business and brands,” said Muhtar Kent.
This is the first time the world cup will be hosted in Africa. This cup was commissioned in 1974 after 53 submissions were received from sculptures in seven countries. Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga was awarded the contract.
The trophy stands 36.5 centimetres (14.4 inches) tall and is made of 5 kg (11 lb) of 18 carat (75%) solid gold with a base (13 centimetres or 5.1 inches in diameter) containing two layers of malachite. Produced by Bertoni, Milano, it weighs 6.175 kg (13.6 lb) in total, depicts two human figures holding up the Earth.
Gazzaniga described the trophy thus, “The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world. From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory.” It was first presented at the 1974 FIFA World Cup, to West German captain Franz Beckenbauer.
The trophy has the visible engravement “FIFA World Cup” in outpouring letters at its base. The name of the country whose national team wins each tournament is engraved in the bottom side of the trophy, and therefore is not visible when the trophy is standing upright. The text states the year in figures and the name of winning nation in English, for example “2006 Italy”.
As of 2006 nine winners have been engraved on the base. It is not known whether FIFA will retire the trophy after all of the name plaques at the base are filled in; this will not occur until after the 2038 World Cup at the earliest. FIFA’s regulations now state that the trophy, unlike its predecessor, cannot be won outright: the winners of the tournament receive a replica which is gold plated rather than solid gold.
Shortly before the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the trophy was briefly returned to Italy for restoration before eventually being awarded to the same country. On 14 July 2006 it was reported that The World Cup Trophy appeared to have been broken after being in Italy’s hands for only a few days. Fabio Cannavaro, Italy’s Captain, was photographed holding a piece of green malachite that had broken off the base, which was subsequently glued back into place.
By Austin Thomas