The doctors allowed the legendary Brazilian footballer Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony of the Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, as Reuters reports, to do this he can prevent muscle pain.
The only three-time world champion as the current player is currently walking with a stick (in December last year, he had surgery on the hip). “The doctors allowed him to light a fire, but everything will depend on muscle pain, which prevented him to move”, – said the representative of Pele.
Previously famous footballer received an offer to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony of the Games at the stadium “Maracana”. Due to sponsorship contracts 75-year-old Pele was not sure that I will be able to accept the offer. But in the end the problem was resolved.
Pele is considered the best footballer of the XX century by the football Committee of FIFA and the best athlete of the last century by the International Olympic Committee, although he never participated in the Games. The best scorer in the history of the Brazilian national team (77 goals), in 1995-1998 he held the position of Minister of sports of the country.
