(ATR) The decision to award Pele the highest award from the IOC only took seconds according to President Thomas Bach.
To celebrate 50 days until the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Thomas Bach travelled to Santos, the hometown of Brazilian football legend Pele to award him the Olympic Order. The ceremony was the culmination of the three day trip by Bach to Brazil to meet with the new government and receive an update from Rio 2016 on the final preparations.
In addition to receiving the Olympic Order, Rio 2016 communications director Mario Andrada told Around the Rings that Pele would feature prominently during the Olympic Opening Ceremony. Andrada would not say if Pele would be the final torchbearer lighting the Olympic cauldron, but emphasized the country’s footballing jewel would play a big role in the ceremony.
"Pele has shown through his dedication to education through sport time and again what it means to bring people together to experience the joy that only sport can bring," Bach said at the ceremony.
"In everything he does both on and off the field he exemplifies the Olympic values of excellence, strength and respect."
Pele was nominated by the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) for the award; a choice that COB President Carlos Nuzman said was a no-brainer.
"[He] means so much to us and was so helpful in the 2016 bid campaign," Nuzman said. "There was no other idea than to nominate him for the order."
Pele served as an ambassador for the 2016 Olympic bid for Rio de Janeiro, and even traveled to Copenhagen for the 121st IOC session, where the city won the right to host the Games.
Upon receiving the Olympic order Pele thanked President Bach for traveling all the way to Santos to present the award. He mentioned that his health was not what it once was, and the accommodation by the IOC was truly special.
"The IOC was so kind to me and they offered to do this in other cities such as New York and Sao Paulo," Pele said. "I went out into the world from Santos, so I said I’d like to receive this award from Santos. I want to thank Nuzman and the IOC for giving me this honor."
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
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