(ATR) Rome is rallying support for its 2024 Olympic campaign one week before bid submissions are due with the IOC.
Around the Rings has learnt that Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò met with Rome mayor Ignazio Marino, bid chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and Luca Pancalli, president of the Italian Paralympic Committee, at city hall on Monday to discuss progress on the bid.
The two-hour meeting was followed by a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the government’s Palazzo Chigi headquarters.
The PM expressed his "strong commitment and support for Rome’s Olympic bid", echoing similar comments he made in July. Renzi said the bid team had made "a lot of progress" since their last meeting two months ago.
An Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) spokesman told ATR it was a "very important and very good step".
One of the key decisions ahead for Rome 2024 is the selection of a site for the prospective Olympic Village.
Discussions are ongoing about two possible locations, with a decision possible by the end of September.
Renzi also held informal talks about the Olympic bid with Malagò on Sunday on the sidelines of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza.
In a statement following Monday’s meetings, mayor Marino underlined his own support for Rome’s Olympic ambitions, in comments carried by the ANSA news agency.
"It is a tremendous opportunity for the city and for the country. It calls for an extraordinary effort but it offers an opportunity to rethink Rome and its future," he said, speaking about the possibility to build and upgrade sports venues and infrastructure.
"The words of Matteo Renzi in support of the application are important. Rome does it with pride," he added, of the concerted effort between the government, city authorities and CONI to win the 2024 Olympics.
"What is certain is the ambition of this city to make concrete opportunities and we firmly believe that from this position all stakeholders will work well until the end result."
Rome will submit its official bid letter to the IOC on Sept. 15. Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles and Paris are also vying for the 2024 Games.
The IOC vote comes at the Session in Lima, Peru in two years' time.
Reported by Mark Bisson
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