Concord Times (Freetown)
Sahr Morris
13 October 2009
Freetown — President Ernest Bai Koroma has urged Sierra Leonean footballers to ensure they bring the World Cup trophy back to Freetown.
President Koroma made this call on Monday at his State House office where he received and displayed the world's most prestigious sports icon and symbol of football supremacy - the FIFA World Cup trophy to hundreds of football-loving Sierra Leoneans.
He said, "We must now bring the trophy back to Freetown by merit not by such sponsorship", adding that Sierra Leone has the potentials to achieve such a goal.
The president thanked the football world governing body, FIFA for the trust and confidence it has in Sierra Leone to host the 18-carat gold trophy.
He heaped praises on FIFA's main partners, Coca Cola, for bringing the trophy to the country thus giving Sierra Leoneans once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to look at (but not touch) the coveted price.
FIFA's media officer for the tour, Emmanuel Maradas, said the trophy was in Freetown because of the blessing of the president, who he said has positive intention to develop the game of football in the country.
Maradas said it was important for South Africa to host the 2010 event on behalf of the continent, adding "this is why the theme for the tournament is Solidarity".
Rocky R.Z. Findley, general manager of the coca-cola bottling company said it was important for Sierra Leoneans to note that such an occasion was Coca Cola's mission to refresh the world, adding that only the bottling company can do such a thing.
The coveted trophy is on a 70-day tour of 52 African nations, as FIFA and Coca Cola intend to make the first-ever World Cup finals to be hosted in South Africa in 2010 more exciting and attractive.
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