Dear Editor,

Our prime minister must have been in a real jovial mood when she expressed her conviction that the World Cup Trophy is feminine; and was “…shining so brightly (that) anyone would be desirous to touch her”.

In the interest of clarity and truth, the famed trophy has two human figures upholding the world, and they are representative of male football players. This has been clearly stated by the Italian originator, Silvio Gazzaniga, who in his words, was inspired by “two fundamental images: those of a triumphant athlete and of the world. I wanted to create a dynamic representation of an accomplishment that could express harmony, simplicity and peace simultaneously. The work should have clear bold lines and reflect the elation of the winning footballer – a man transformed by the enormity of his victory, but without the ego of the super human…With two players raising their arms, I wanted to celebrate the moment of joy and the excitement of victory.”

With that out of the way, I am reminded of another trophy, which Jamaica had constructed to mark the 1998 World Cup achievement of the Reggae Boyz. It was supposed to have been the world’s largest football (five storeys high) and was sent on tour after being launched at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport. I remember it going to New York and London, but its final destination remains a mystery to me.

I hope the Jamaican giant soccer ball now rests in some hall of fame, because our taxpayers did pay US$250,000 for the ball and promotional expenses. Incidentally, the World Cup Trophy now on tour, cost about US$50,000 when it was done in 1971. Today it is worth more than US$10 million. I wonder how much our trophy is worth these days.

Ken Jones

kensjones2002@yahoo.com