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Rio plans ‘cool’ opening ceremony for Olympics – but will Pele be there?

“I’m not physically able to attend the opening of the Olympics”, he said.

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The 75-year-old, who is widely regarded as one of the sport’s best ever players after helping Brazil lift three World Cups, walks with the help of a can after he underwent hip surgery.

The Games of the 31st Olympiad formally begin with the Opening Ceremony tonight.

In the Parade of Nations, the teams will enter Maracana Stadium in alphabetical order (the host language of 2016 Rio Olympics is Portuguese).

RIO DE JANEIRO With a little bit of chaos and a last-minute sprint on preparations, Rio de Janeiro was ready on Friday to revel in a moment seven years in the making: the opening of the Olympic Games. Soccer star Pele said he was invited to help with lighting the cauldron, designed by American sculptor Anthony Howe, in the show’s climax but business deals were preventing him from doing it.

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez). United States’ Simone Biles waits her turn to train on the beam ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016.

He said the decision to withdraw, just hours before the opening ceremony, was his and apologised to fans.

Samba and pop music singers are expected to perform, including Grammy award winners Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil. According to the Associated Press, the event won’t address issues of political turmoil or the country’s recession, but will call attention to the environment and the Amazon rainforest.

Performing at the famed Maracana soccer stadium presented all sorts of logistical challenges too, such as low seating and small entrances that ruled out big stages or Carnival floats.

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NBC will broadcast the opening ceremony on a one-hour tape delay because it wants the entertainment spectacle to be shown completely in US prime time. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen will also be on hand.

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