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Gambia News : Touring FIFA World Cup Trophy expected shortly in Gambia
The FIFA World Cup Trophy, currently on tour of parts of the world, is
due to arrive in Banjul, the Gambian capital, 6 October, for a
three-day stay in the country which is aimed at raising awareness and
excitement towards the 2010 World Cup finals, to be hosted by South
Africa.
Mr. Sheikh Abdou Bah, Coca-Cola Gambia Country Manager, told
journalists here Thursday that his company had conceived the tour to
promote the culture of peace, solidarity and harmony among all peoples
of the world, through Sports.
He disclosed that upon arrival in
Banjul, the trophy would be presented to the Gambian leader Yahya
Jammeh 7 October who will then unveil the trophy to the Gambian public
same day at a special ceremony to be held at the Independence Stadium,
Bakau.
Bah urged all Gambians to support the worthy cause by turning out in large numbers to welcome the trophy.
According
to Bah, the tour was officially launched on Monday in Zurich,
Switzerland, by FIFA President Joseph Blatter. It will go through 84
countries.
'The 225-day tour will enable thousands of fans
around the globe to see the au thentic gold trophy which is 36.8
centimetres high, weighs 6,175 grammes and is made of solid, 18-carat
gold,â? Bah told reporters.
Gambians, whose team narrowly missed
a chance to feature in a first-ever World Cup finals, will have the
opportunity to see the trophy for the first time live.
Youth and
Sports Minister, Mr. Sheriff Gomez, said it was a big honour and unique
opportunity for Gambia to have the trophy on its land for first time in
World Cup history.
Gomez hailed FIFA and partners Coca-Cola for
picking The Gambia as part of the trophy's route, saying that the tour
would motivate young Gambian footballers to improve their skills, with
the hope that one day they too would play in the World Cup finals.
On
security, the Gambian Minister of Interior, Ousman Sonko, urged the
people to cooperate with security agents in order to ensure that the
trophy arrives and leaves the country in good shape.
He noted that FIFA was very concerned about the safety of the trophy, recalling that the trophy had once been stolen.
3817 times read
- one day, inshallah, this trophy will come to Gambia...
(Posted on September 26, 2009, 9:53 PM David Allan Riddington)
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