In Switzerland, few Swiss athletes can boast of having their face on a stamp. Roger Federer is one of the few to have had this honor, in 2007. This is why it is all the more surprising to find the silhouette of Swiss athletes on stamps in Africa: Didier Défago in Mozambique, Dominique Gisin in Sao-Tomé-et-Principe or Dario Cologna in Sierra Leone.
The first interested parties are surprised, since they have not given their agreement. “For me, it’s nothing serious. It doesn’t change my life. It’s kind of funny. But I’m sure it might be a problem for some athletes with their sponsors. For me, it’s just a nice chapter that I can add to my story,” says Maxim Noreau, Canadian hockey player playing in Rapperswil.
The stamp of Togo depicting Maxim Noreau. [RTS]
Why do these winter sports athletes end up as subjects of African stamps? “Well, the countries that do it are advised by agencies. You choose recognized personalities, who sell well around the world, collectors are looking for that”, explains Cyrill Walter, philatelist from Zurich.
In African countries, where image rights are not strictly regulated, the phenomenon is not new. Peter Müller, Maria Walliser or even Primin Zurbriggen have already had their stamp in the past. The grail remains today for African collectors that with Roger Federer.
A stamp from Liberia with the effigy of Roger Federer. [RTS]
Thierry Clemence with SRF