The English Premier League trophy is in town, and President William Ruto was on hand to receive the glistening piece of silverware at State House, Nairobi.
Currently on a tour of the African continent, Kenya was the first stop for the EPL trophy, with protocol dictating that the Head of State should be the one to officially receive it.
Ruto, an Arsenal fan, expressed his excitement at seeing the trophy, describing it as recognition of the country’s love of English football and clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City.
However, it was noticeable that Ruto did not touch the trophy during the photo session, prompting speculation as to whether this was intentional or a guideline in the EPL rulebook.
EPL Rulebook
A look at the rules for handling the EPL trophy reveals that, unlike the UCL and FIFA World Cup trophies, there is no known prohibition on Ruto or anyone else touching it.
Also, no sanctions are referenced relating to unauthorised persons touching or being presented with the trophy, either officially or unofficially.
This means that anecdotal occurrences, such as the current EPL Africa tour or display at government buildings, do not obviously breach the published rules.
However, a local official affiliated with one of the global partners of the EPL revealed to a local media outlet that Ruto cannot touch the trophy. They disclosed that only past and current winners can touch the EPL trophy, ruling out the Head of State.
UCL Trophy Rules
Unlike the EPL trophy, the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup trophies have strict guidelines about who can touch them.
For example, UEFA rules state that only current and former UCL winners are permitted to lift the trophy. This was evident during the trophy's tour of Kenya earlier this year, when State House Press Secretary Mike Gitonga announced that Ruto was not permitted to lift it.
Instead, the task of carrying the trophy was given to former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was present during the tour. Ruto was, however, still allowed to touch it, and images captured him holding one side of the trophy, famously nicknamed 'Big Ears'.
FIFA World Cup Rules
The rules for the FIFA World Cup are also clear - only Heads of State are permitted to touch the trophy during its global tour ahead of World Cup tournaments. Current and previous winners are also permitted to touch the trophy.
Back in 2009, a dramatic incident unfolded when the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga touched the trophy, prompting FIFA personnel to hastily remove his hand from the trophy.
The incident sparked debate on the persons authorised to touch the trophy, although no punishment was meted out to Kenya by FIFA over the breach of guidelines.
Currently, there are only six footballers (past or present) in the world who have the rare luxury of touching and lifting all three trophies. They include Thierry Henry, Ng’olo Kante, Pedro Rodriguez, Fabian Barthez, Gerard Piqué, and Juliano Belletti.
