The White House said President Barack Obama will not attend Muhammad Ali’s funeral, which coincides with his oldest daughter’s graduation.
“They will be attending Malia’s high school graduation ceremony in Washington, DC,” said spokeswoman Jen Friedman.
Instead, a close aide “will read a letter from the president and the first lady as part of Friday’s service in Louisville.”
Muhammad Ali’s hometown of Louisville is ready to “welcome the world” for this week’s ceremonies honoring the late boxing legend, the city’s mayor said on Tuesday (Jun 7), with a huge public procession.
Louisville, the largest city in the southern state of Kentucky and home to 600,000 people, will play host Thursday and Friday to the mass public celebration of the life of Ali, its most famous native son.
Ali, whose remarkable boxing career and civil rights activism made him one of the most indelible figures of the 20th century, died last week at age 74 after a decades-long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
His death has prompted an outpouring of tributes for The Champ, who won three heavyweight titles and Olympic Gold during his illustrious years in the ring.
The ceremonies in Louisville will have three key moments: an Islamic prayer service open to all on Thursday, a long public funeral procession through the city on Friday and a memorial service at a sports arena that same day.
Former US president Bill Clinton and comedian Billy Crystal are among those expected to speak about Ali.