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'So much to offer' Brazil invites Pele to return to public service
SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -- Nearly three years after leaving the government in which he served as minister for sports, Pele has been invited to return to public service, the player's office confirmed Friday. "The president [Fernando Henrique Cardoso] has asked him to return," spokeswoman of Pele's office, Patricia Franco, told The Associated Press by telephone. She said she was not authorized to give any more details. Brazil's Estado news agency reported earlier Friday Cardoso told reporters accompanying him on an official visit to South Korea and other Asian countries that he spoke to Pele about the possibility of returning to government service, but not necessarily as sports minister. "Pele has so much to offer that we can put him to work immediately," the news agency quoted Cardoso as saying. "This does not mean he has to be sports minister." "So when he decides he wants to return to government service, the doors will be open," the president added. Appointed by Cardoso in 1995, Pele served as sports minister until 1998, when he became a TV commentator for the World Cup in France. On Thursday, Pele said he signed a contract with the Panamerican Sports Network as an announcer for the 2002 World Cup, starting with qualifying matches this year.
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