Brazilian President Lulu tries to open the Pan American Games during opening ceremony Friday night. (Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images)Lula Kept Silent During Opening Ceremonies
An apparently confusing chain of circumstances led to Brazil President Lula being sidelined when it came time for him to declare open the Pan American Games during Friday night’s opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium
PASO President Mario Vazquez Rana introduced Lula to utter the declaration, which Lula was poised to do, a pair of microphones placed in front of his seat in the grandstand.
But it was Brazilian Olympic Committee President Carlos Nuzman who stepped up to the podium in the center of the stadium floor to announce the opening of the games. A brief shot of Lula during the TV coverage of the ceremony showed him with a slightly confused expression.
Around the Rings is told that Lula had intended to deliver a short speech in addition to the games declaration but was told the extra comments would not be protocol. Supposedly Lula then refused to even open the games, so Nuzman prepared to make the announcement. But then the Brazilian president had a change of heart, but the message never got to Nuzman, or Rana, who was left hanging.
Neither Nuzman or Lula would comment on the gaffe as they left the stadium
Some reports say Nuzman was also trying to shield The marathon swim off Copacabana beach was one of the opening medal events at Rio 2007. (Antonio Scorza/AFP/Getty Images)Lula from any more booing from the crowd of 85,000, obviously of different political stripes than Lula. The crowd booed lustily the four times his name was mentioned during portions of the ceremony.
An official with Rio 2007 tells ATR a “misunderstanding of protocol” was behind the gaffe.
The Medals Begin
Canadian cyclist Catharine Pendrel is the first gold medalist of the XV Pan American Games. Pendrel, who trains in Kamloops, B.C., won the women’s cross-country mountain bike race at Outeiro Hill in one hour, 46 minutes and six seconds, beating American Mary McConneloug, also silver medalist in 2003 at Santo Domingo.
American Adam Craig won gold in the men’s race.
Americans swept gold in the 10 kilometre marathon swim at Arena Posto 6 by Rio’s famed Copacabana Beach. Fran Crippen beat fellow American Charles Peterson by 5.1 seconds in 2:02:24.1 in the men’s race.
“It took me a while to understand I had won the event because the arrival was tight,” Crippen said. “I’m very proud I won the event at the most famous beach in the world.”
Medals in team gymnastics were to awarded Saturday night.
Lights Out at Ballpark
Generators at the City of Rock ballpark malfunctioned Friday night which has led to rescheduling matches set for Saturday.
The City of Rock, which is also hosting softball, is a temporary venue where the massive Rock in Rio I and III music festivals were held in 1985 and 2001.
With reporting from Rio de Janeiro by Ed Hula, Bob Mackin.
On the scene coverage of the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro continues through the week at www.aroundtherings.com
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