Rome 2024 Bid Meets Anti-Olympic Mayoral Candidate

(ATR) Leading mayoral candidate Virginia Raggi could yet scupper the 2024 bidbut today she claimed "no prejudice" against the Olympics.

Raggi met with Italian Olympic Committee president chief Giovanni Malago for two hours of talks at CONI headquarters on Monday. The leader of Italy’s Five Star Movement, who is considered the frontrunner in the June 5 mayoral election, made no secret of her priorities if she gains office in later comments to reporters.

"It was a cordial meeting. We talked about sports, Rome and the Olympics. We have reiterated our line: there is no prejudice against the Games but we have to think first about the ordinary [items]. Then we will evaluate also the extraordinary," she said.

Raggi is vying for the mayorship against Roberto Giachetti and Giorgia Meloni, who have both registered their backing for Rome’s Olympic bid.

If Raggi is elected next month and maintains her stance, Rome’s Olympic dreams may fizzle out; without the mayor’s support the Olympic bid could not continue.

But a Rome 2024 spokeswoman tells Around the Rings it was a productive meeting, although she declined to say what assurances Malago had offered Raggi about the costs and impact of an Olympics on the city.

Bid officials are said to be encouraged Raggi may be softening her anti-Olympics position and if she is elected "could become more supportive".

Malago described the talks as "very positive, very friendly and respectful of the roles".

"We have reiterated that the priorities are the primary needs [of the city] and them not having prejudices towards the Olympics," he was quoted as saying by the Italian news agency ANSA.

Malago has reportedly updated Rome 2024 bid president Luca di Montezemolo on the discussions he had with Raggi. Further talks between the Rome bid and Raggi are possible before next month’s election.

There was some brighter news for the bid on Monday when Claudio Ranieri, the Rome-born manager of Leicester City – who have shocked world football by winning the English Premier League title – appeared at CONI headquarters.

Di Montezemolo paid tribute to Ranieri, who was sporting a Rome 2024 cockade. Ranieri was presented with the Bearzot award to mark his achievements in sport.

The bid chief hopes to count on the Leicester City manager’s support for Rome’s Olympic mission. "Ranieri would be an important ambassador for Rome 2024 for three reasons: He’s born in Rome, he’s a great sportsman and third, he is a great example of a winning Italian," Di Montezemolo said.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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