President Barack Obama has been criticised for a comment he made while being interviewed on the Jay Leno show. While discussing bowling, he made the self-deprecating comment "I'm so bad I could bowl for the Special Olympics". Yet it turns out that President Obama actually DID bowl in the Special Olympics.
In Atlanta in 1994, Mr Obama was a star of the Paralympic bowling team. He also played in the US basketball team - in a wheelchair!
Mr Obama was unavailable for comment but his office released this statement:
"In 1994, Barack Obama was due to play in the Altanta Olympics in the basketball team - the non-disabled team. But about a month before the event, he visited his mother, who fed him lots of doughnuts and fried chicken. As a result, he suffered badly from gout and was unable to walk.
"The US Olympic team decided he should play basketball in the Special Olympics instead, and also for the bowling team since they were a man short.
"At no point has Mr Obama ever claimed to be disabled, but there can be no doubt that he is very special."
