President Barack Obama will send his wife Michelle to Copenhagen to lobby the International Olympic Committee on his hometown Chicago's 2016 bid next month, the White House said Friday.

US Olympic officials had hoped the president would travel in person to Denmark to add an extra dose of star power to the bid, but the White House said the fight to pass historic health care reform would keep him at home.

"One of the great honors I have as First Lady is to represent America around the world and it is with great pride that I will go to Copenhagen to make the case for the United States to host the 2016 Olympics," the First Lady said in a statement.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Chicago would offer the world a fantastic setting for these historic games and I hope that the Olympic torch will have the chance to burn brightly in my hometown."

The First Lady will travel to Denmark for the International Olympic Committee session on October 2, where the victorious host will be chosen from remaining candidate cities Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo.

The president has spoken out several times in support of Chicago's bid, and made a number of videos in support of its application for the Games.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has said he will be there to try to persuade the IOC to send the Olympics to South America for the first time.

King Juan Carlos of Spain will be there for Madrid's bid and Japan has invited incoming Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Crown Prince Naruhito to attend.

AFP