Roger Federer stamp issued by La Poste in Switzerland 10 April 2007
Tribune de Geneve/sports, Fre and GenevaLunch - The Swiss postal service Tuesday unveiled its new collectors' stamp featuring tennis star Roger Federer, breaking its own taboo against images of living people on stamps. Swiss philately has long been a hobby around the world but the new Federer one-franc stamp is already at the top of the list of most popular La Poste online shop items because it is expected to be very popular with non-collectors, for simply sending mail.
The stamp shows Federer holding the winner's trophy at Wimbledon. The post office says it is honouring him with the stamp because "Roger Federer has been the number one in the tennis world for over three years – longer than any other player. With his sporting successes and his activities off the court – as UNICEF ambassador, for example – he has done a great deal to promote the image of Switzerland abroad in recent years."