Italian Olympic Committee (CONI)
President Giovanni Malagò on Tuesday called on new Rome Mayor
Virginia Raggi to clarify her position on the capital's bid for
the 2024 Olympics.
"The (arrival of a) new partner at the city of Rome
doesn't change our plans," Malagò said.
"Ask her what she intends to do. I only call on her to be
honest and cooperate.
"Our only interest is to support the bid. The new mayor
came to CONI (headquarters) before the elections. It didn't seem
that there was a clear no and we don't think there should be
one. It's a procedure that started three years ago".
Raggi, a member of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement
(M5S), said in her campaign that it would be "criminal" to bid
for the Games with Rome's many woes and a huge city budget
deficit.
She later said she was not against the Olympics as such
but against spending on major public works at a time of spending
restrictions.
Malagò observed that the three sources of backing for the
bid had already been "achieved and deliberated" and urged Raggi
not to show "prejudice" against it.
"For the bid, we need the OK of the city, CONI and the
government. If one of these goes the bid will fail. It's true
there are other priorities but you shouldn't have prejudices
against the bid," he said.
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