[OFF THE POST] Pele, in a speech on behalf of Rio de Janeiro’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, tried to chide the competing bid from Chicago by pointing out that its big sports hero was absent from the Windy City’s delegation. But Pele said “Michael Jackson,” the dead pop star, instead of Michael Jordan, the basketball legend.
When the laughter died down Pele tried to recover with a joke about “Two Michaels,” but Brazilian press worried that the gaffe would scupper the Rio bid.
Besides Chicago and Rio, Tokyo and Madrid have also bid to be the host, which will be named on Friday in Copenhagen, where President Barack Obama traveled in support of the U.S. bid.