Rio de Janeiro - Brazil put its best and most famous foot forward on Friday to impress members of an Olympics site committee for 2016, with global football legend Pele meeting the group which is key to picking the site for the 2016 Games.
In its effort to host the first Olympics ever to be held in South America, Rio is fighting rival bids from more economically powerful cities such as Madrid, Chicago and Tokyo.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) evaluating commission members were met by "O Rei" Pele when they arrived at the Joao avelange, the city's crown jewel when it hosted the 2007 Pan-American Games.
He even played football with some IOC representatives, including group leader Nawal El Moutawakel, a Moroccan athlete and Olympic gold medalist in the women's 400 metres.
With a flourish, he even signed a football for el-Moutawakel.
"I really want the Olympic Games to come to Rio, and I am happy to have been a part of this," Pele said after the gathering.
In Copacabana, IOC officials came across people holding signs supporting their city's bid, including a message made famous by US President Barack Obama during his campaign: "Yes we can!"
The tour started at the Forte de Copacabana, a military facility above the famous beach. IOC officials watched an air show before heading on to Barra da Tijuca, the neighbourhood in which the Olympic Village and most of the competitions would be located.
They also went to the beautiful lagoon Rodrigo de Freitas, which hosted the rowing events at the 2007 Pan-American Games, the Omnisport Arena and the Maria Lenk Water Park, which were also used in 2007.
The group then headed to the suburbs to see the Joao Havelange stadium, designed to hold track and field events exclusively. The facilities appeared to impress the IOC inspectors, and El Moutawakel even raced down the track with Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes.
In each of the stops, IOC representatives were met by key figures of Brazil's Olympic history, including the long jump gold medallist in Beijing 2008, Maurren Maggi. (dpa)
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