Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris has
said the 2019 Universiade World University Games to be hosted in
the city will be "the biggest sporting event for years in Italy,
and one of the biggest in Europe", and he vowed that Naples
would manage the event successfully.
"In Naples we know how to work as a team with other
institutions and how to manage public funds with clean hands,
therefore, we will overcome this challenge," he said.
"Others have backed away from the Olympics thinking that it
would be an opportunity for corruption and wasting of public
money," he said, referring to Rome and its decision to withdraw
its 2024 Olympics bid.
"We think that in Naples, spending a lot less money, we can
host the Universiade well, with an extraordinary return in terms
of sporting facilities, with an extremely strong return for the
image of the city and of Italy, and also a social return,
because the temporary housing at the athletes' village will then
be made available for housing emergencies in our area," he said.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA