Pele is arguably Brazil's greatest athlete of all time, and so having him miss out on the big moment of tonight's Olympic opening ceremonies in Rio just doesn't feel right. But according to AP, Pele won't be able to light the torch or even attend the event, as was much anticipated of the former Seleção star. Pele cited health reasons as the cause in a statement, saying, "I'm not physically able to attend the opening of the Olympics."Pele now walks with the help of a cane after receiving hip replacement in 2012, with a recent tuneup this past December. He vaguely alludes to the mileage he's put on his own body in the statement. "Only God is more important than my health. In my life, I've had fractures, surgeries, pain, hospital stays, victories and defeats. And I've always respected those who admire me," Pele said, later adding that opting out of the ceremonies was "my own decision."Earlier this week, Pele told Globo TV that he was uncertain of whether he would light the torch—but for completely different reasons, citing a potential conflict with his sponsors. "I have a contract that I am bound to fulfill," he said. According to Yahoo, Pele is sponsored by Subway, Volkswagen, and Hublot, among others, none of which are official Olympic sponsors.The Olympic torch lighting is to take place in the stadium where Pele scored his 1,000th goal in 1969, before bringing home his country their third World Cup.
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