USA: Anheuser-Busch apologizes to Boston Soccer fans for World Cup trophy flap

Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc. apologized October 06 to Boston soccer fans, including the city's mayor, for "a misunderstanding" about a FIFA World Cup trophy that fans had understood to be the one awarded to Italy, USA Today posted October 10.

After learning that the trophy, described in the company's promotional news release as the "FIFA World Cup Winner's Trophy" and paraded through the city's North End earlier this week wasn't the original, fans said they felt duped and Mayor Thomas Menino, who kissed the trophy, said the beer giant abused "the city's trust."

"We regret any embarrassment this caused civic leaders, residents of the Boston area and our local wholesaler, August A. Busch & Co. and sales manager Nick Gregory," company spokeswoman Francine Katz said in a statement.

Katz said the trophy now on tour through U.S. cities is "not the trophy that was awarded to Italy" after it won the World Cup be defeating France in July.

That trophy, the original, belongs to FIFA. After one week with the winning team it was returned to FIFA headquarters in Switzerland. The winning team then gets a replica to be kept as a symbol of its victory.

The trophy making stops in St. Louis, New York, Miami, Chicago and Washington, D.C. is actually the replica which will be given permanently to the winner of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Katz said. Anheuser-Busch "should have more clearly specified" the difference, she said.

"We apologize for any misunderstanding about the World Cup Winner's Trophy visit to the United States," she said.

Menino issued a statement October 06 that said city officials were told before the event that the trophy was the original. He said he was "deeply disappointed."

Fans waited in line to have a $5 picture taken with the trophy when it was brought to the city's heavily Italian North End neighbourhood on October 04.

Anheuser-Busch will match any money raised for charity through the photography, and will pay for any costs the city incurred, Katz said.

11 October, 2006