World Cup Show to Begin, but Pele Could Be Left Out

Soccer’s international stars will be gathered to participate in Sunday’s World Cup draw, but a dispute between the president of FIFA, the sport’s international governing body, and Pele, the sport’s foremost ambassador, could keep the Brazilian legend from involvement in the show and the sport.

Pele’s exclusion from the draw--one of the most-watched television programs in the world--would be an embarrassment to both FIFA and the World Cup organizing committee, which understands Pele’s name recognition with the American public.

The problem stems from a defamation suit filed against Pele by Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation. Teixeira is the son-in-law of Joao Havelange, president of FIFA.

Pele Sports Inc. and Grupo Dorna of Spain bid $5 million to the confederation for the right to televise the 1993 Brazilian national soccer championships. But the rights were awarded to the Globo and Bandeirantes networks for only $4 million.

Pele complained that his group had lost the bid because he refused to pay a $1-million kickback to Teixeira.

Teixeira sued Pele for defamation, and the pending suit involving the sport’s most famous player and one of its most powerful federations has rocked the soccer world. The involvement of Havelange only escalated the conflict.

The feud has grown more bitter this week, despite the attempts of third parties to intervene for the good of the game. Pele’s much-publicized appearance in Las Vegas set off another series of outbursts from Havelange.

Havelange is expected to propose today that FIFA’s executive committee declare Pele persona non grata with the organization, which would essentially banish the world’s best-loved soccer player from any official association with the game he helped popularize.

Havelange did not appear as scheduled at a news conference Thursday. When the matter of the dispute was brought up, two FIFA officials pushed a microphone back and forth.

Joseph Blatter, FIFA general secretary, finally answered, reluctantly.

“Let’s say that Pele will be with us in the FIFA family, in the (Convention Center) hall Sunday,” Blatter said. “Where his position will be, we’ll see on Sunday.”

Blatter reportedly asked Havelange to reconsider his action, telling him that the proposal could “boomerang on you” and create ill will and negative publicity.

Alan Rothenberg, World Cup ’94 chairman, made it clear he views Pele as an integral part of the 90-minute presentation.

“I’ll be very disappointed if he is not involved,” Rothenberg said. “I’d also be very surprised if he’s not.”

The lavish Vegas-style show, to be held at the Convention Center, will be televised live to about 80 countries and is expected to draw an audience of 500 million viewers.

The first hint that Pele might be replaced in the show was the list of players or former players who had been enlisted to assist in the draw. Although the number of players needed is six, officials were throwing out seven or eight names. The extra names were backups, an official said, to be used if Pele was banned.

In addition to the six players, six celebrities will be part of the actual draw: race driver Mario Andretti, model Carol Alt, artist Peter Max, former gymnast Mary Lou Retton, actor Beau Bridges and Michelle Akers-Stahl of the U.S. women’s national soccer team.

Chelsea Clinton, daughter of President Clinton and a goalkeeper on her school’s soccer team, is expected to kick the first ball, via satellite, from the White House Rose Garden.

Barry Manilow, Julio Iglesias and Vanessa Williams are among the entertainers performing live, and Elton John and Rod Stewart will perform on tape. The draw will be broadcast on ESPN and Univision.

The choice of glitzy Las Vegas has been criticized as being too typically American, but it was FIFA that chose the venue for the draw. Europeans might enjoy bashing the commercial exploitation in the United States, but they apparently love to be exploited.

Dick Clark Productions has put together the show, which it describes as a “fast-paced Americanized version, almost like a game show.”

The actual draw will be interspersed between live and video performances. Highlights of each of the 24 World Cup teams will be shown on oversized screens, as will a travelogue of each of the nine host cities.