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Amid much fanfare it was announced that football legend Pele would be in Kolkata for the 'Super Football' event, involving Superstars XI and India Dream XI on January 23. However, the organisers JPR Events, on Sunday, announced that "due to unavoidable circumstances the match, originally scheduled for January 23 in Kolkata, India, has been postponed to a later date".
The organisers had said that Pele would travel as abmassador of Superstars XI, which would comprise Brazil's two-time World Cup winner Cafu and stars like Roberto Carlos, Denilson and Zola among others, while 'India Dream Team' would? be led by Indian football superstar Bhaichung Bhutia.
However, Sport 10, which has the worldwide commercial rights to Pele's image and intellectual property, has denied the Brazilian ace's association with the football match.
In a statement on Monday, it said:"JPR Events, a firm that is organizing a 'Super Football' event on January 23, 2012 in Kolkata, India, is alleging that famous Brazilian soccer legend Pele will be participating in the event.
"Sport 10, an entity which owns the worldwide commercial rights to Pele's image and intellectual property, has indicated that Pele will not be participating in the event, and that JPR's representation that he will participate is false and suggests a false association among JPR Events, Sport 10 and Pele."
It added: "Sport 10 is adamant in protecting Pele and his rights and want to ensure that consumers are not misled or confused by JPR Events' wrongful representation and promotion of this event. On January 12, 2012, Sport 10, through its U.S. counsel Arent Fox, sent a Cease and Desist letter to JPR Events requesting that it immediately cease all unauthorized use of Pele's name, image and likeness in connection with this event."