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Pele to resign cabinet post to do World Cup commentary
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Pele is resigning his post as Brazil's minister of sports to do TV commentary at the World Cup -- and his job may be gone when he returns.The soccer legend will resign on Thursday to join the Globo TV network team covering this summer's world championship in France, said Pele's spokesman, Jose Natal.
Brazilian media on Tuesday said President Fernando Henrique Cardoso planned to eliminate the sports ministry when Pele left, but the president's press office said it could not confirm the report.
Asked whether Pele planned to camapign for Cardoso's re-election in October, Natal said: "Everything indicates he will, but he will discuss it on Thursday."
Cardoso, who was elected in 1994, persuaded Pele to accept the cabinet post created especially for him. Although Pele has said he planned to leave this year, media reports say he would return in some role if Cardoso is re-elected.
As minister, Pele used his immense popularity to attract private sponsorship to amateur sports, especially in inner-city slums. At one slum sports centre in Rio de Janeiro, Pele kicked around a soccer ball with U.S. President Bill Clinton during a Latin American visit.
Pele's main legacy likely will be in enacting a law that abolished the reserve clause in Brazilian soccer.
The legislation essentially granted all players not under contract free agents within three years. The law was fought by club owners and cheered by players. Pele called it his "greatest goal."
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GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
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