Winners of the Esso trip to the World Cup that turned sour may receive thousands of dollars in compensation, an Esso spokesperson said yesterday.

The Mid-Ocean News recently reported that prize recipients Eric Kemper and Seion Darrell travelled to France for what was to be a football fan's trip of a lifetime.

Winnings were to include two round-trip tickets to London, a train ride through the "Chunnel'', hotel accommodations for 11 nights and tickets for six football games -- including the final.

But the trip turned into a nightmare after the winners were left stranded by the tour company at a train platform in Paris and stuck with less-than-suitable hotel accommodations -- where gunfire was audible from the rooms.

Mr. Kemper said they were forced to pay expenses out of their own pockets on several occasions.

But the final blow was when they did not get their promised tickets for the Brazil-France final.

Mr. Kemper said he and his fellow winner were one of many unfortunate victims who dealt with disreputable companies for World Cup tickets.

And upon his return to Bermuda on July 13, he said he had no hard feelings toward the organisers at Esso.

But representatives from Esso Bermuda issued an apology to the weary travellers this past weekend for the "unsatisfactory'' arrangements.

And Esso said they were working with "the vendor responsible'' in an attempt to secure the winners a "first class prize in the very near future''.

When The Royal Gazette contacted Esso Bermuda spokesman Juan Herreramoro, he said a reimbursement was anticipated but he could not confirm an exact amount.

But Mr. Herreramoro said the figure may be in the thousands, since winners should be compensated for final match tickets -- which were selling for at least $1,200 apiece -- as well as their out-of-pocket expenses.

He said the vendor responsible for the botched trip was Cruise and Gulf Travel based in Miami, Florida, who hired an agency in Spain called Omvesa -- which is where the problems occurred.

When The Royal Gazette asked Mr. Kemper if he would be satisfied with the possible reimbursement, he offered no comment.

SOCCER SOC