Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi
told the Senate's sport committee on Tuesday that she decided to
sink the capital's bid for the 2024 Olympics due to the cost and
not because of the threat of corruption.
"Corruption was not in the slightest one of the issues
taken into consideration," she said.
"Given the evident cost, Rome cannot afford to get further
into debt".
Premier Matteo Renzi and other supporters of the bid said
Raggi's bid was effectively an admission that she was unable to
properly administer the city.
"We are going towards gradual health privatization and
towards the privatization of essential services and yet we were
meant to get into debt to host a major event that benefits only
a few," Raggi added.
"We would have had to continue taking money from public
services. It would have been irresponsible to say yes".
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