Rome 2024 Bid Seeks to Bring Skeptical Mayor on Side

(ATR) The bid’s general director tells Around the Rings the timing of Virginia Raggi taking office "couldn’t be better for Rome 2024".

After the first meeting between bid leaders, the Italian Olympic Committee and new city administration, Diana Bianchedi believes Rome 2024 may have made some progress in attempts to persuade Raggi and her 5 Star Movement to support the Olympic ambition.

"A deliberate and careful approach by the new mayor would make Rome's bid even stronger," she told ATR.

"This is, after all, a new era for the Olympic and Paralympic movement. It’s about democracy, transparency and accountability. It’s exactly in line with the new Agenda 2020 set out by the International Olympic Committee. I personally strongly believe that timing of Ms. Raggi taking office couldn’t be better for Rome2024."

Bianchedi said the Rome Olympic bid team "share the same priorities" as Raggi and would work with all levels of government and non-governmental organizations "to create a sustainable, meaningful legacy for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games".

She said a Rome Games provided a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to mobilize the resources necessary to address the pressing issues for an upgraded public infrastructure, transportation system and sport facilities for the people of Rome".

While Rome 2024 is working hard to win the backing of Raggi, who was outspoken in her objections to the bid in her mayoral campaign, it won’t be easy.

That much was made clear at a meeting on Monday between deputy mayor of Rome Daniel Frongia, the city’s 5 Star Movement leader Paolo Ferrara, Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malagò and Rome 2024 vice president Luca Pancalli. More talks about the bid are planned in the coming days.

Frongia said Raggi’s administration was "open for discussion" but indicated that his party wasn’t yet willing to budge on its opposition to the Olympic bid, according to Italian media reports.

Malago remarked that the bid dossier submitted to the IOC in February "isn't the Bible; like everything, it can change", suggesting that deal-making with Raggi’s administration could have an impact on shaping the Olympic bid concept.

Bianchedi led a Rome 2024 delegation visit to Lausanne today to take part in a bidding workshop on Wednesday.

Meetings are focusing on phase two of the bidding process. Leaders from the other bids – Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris – are also in the Olympic capital from July 12-15.

Discussions will center on stage two of the three-phase candidature process, focusing on Governance, Legal and Venue funding.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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