dpa
Buenos Aires
Brazilian football icon Pele is back in hospital but his daughter, Kely do Nascimiento, swiftly dismissed concerns expressed in news reports by saying the situation is not serious.
“Lots of alarm in the media today concerning my dad’s health,” she said on Instagram Wednesday. “He is in the hospital regulating medication ... There is no emergency or new dire prediction.”
Another daughter, Flávia Arantes do Nascimento, also took to Instagram as she said in a video her father had gone to the clinic for tests and added: “I apologise for these evil media that constantly creates facts that don’t exist and we don’t even know about.”
Broadcasters ESPN Brazil had reported that doctors at the clinic in Sao Paulo were concerned because the 82-year-old had swellings all over his body and that chemotherapy may no longer have an effect on his tumours in several organs.
But doctors were later quoted as saying by local media that “the patient was taken to a regular hospital room after the medical examinations, with admission to an intensive care unit not necessary.”
They added that Pele “had full control over his vital functions and is in a stable clinical condition.”
Pele had a tumour removed from his colon last year after it was discovered during a routine examination. He returned to hospital several times since then for treatment.
He also underwent several hip operations in previous years and also had knee and spine problems.
Pele is the only footballer to win the World Cup three times, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and remains the country’s leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 caps.
