The presence of the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and the greatest soccer
player of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pelé, on July 16th
Saturday afternoon at Engenhão stadium helped demonstrate the importance of the 5th
Military World Games taking place in Rio de Janeiro until July 24.
The presence of the President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff, and the greatest
soccer player of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pelé, on
July 16th Saturday afternoon at Engenhão stadium helped demonstrate the importance
of the 5th Military World Games taking place in Rio de Janeiro until July
24.
“I had no doubt that this event would be great, but it’s not
every day that two figures of this caliber can be seen in the same place,”
said Pimentel Mauricio Prado, a lawyer and whose girlfriend – an Army private
– is participating as an athlete in the Games .
In the grandstand, located in the center of the stadium, several military
officials from several countries could also be seen in addition to other important
political figures such as Minister of Defense Nelson Jobim, Minister of Sports
Orlando Silva and the governor and the mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Cabral and
Eduardo Paes.
Engenhão stadium was packed and there were no reports of unrest or
disorder.