Circus Maximus for 2024 Rome Olympics

(ANSA) - Rome, May 22 - Historic sites in Rome, including the Circus Maximus, should be incorporated into planning for Rome's 2024 Olympics bid, a city councillor said Friday.
    Alessandra Cattoi said city hall is considering holding some awards ceremonies at the Colosseum, "which is symbolic" and other historic sites could be used for similar ceremonies.
    "The Circus Maximus could be a very good location for some disciplines," added Cattoi.
    Technical experts would have to confirm the safety and structural integrity of sites, some of which are 2,000 years old, before they could be used, she added.
    The Circus Maximus, which has origins in about the 6th century BC, was originally an ancient chariot racing stadium while the Colosseum, completed in 80 AD, was built to hold great spectacles including gladiatorial combat and sporting events.
    Rome is in the running to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and in February Luca Cordero de Montezemolo, non-executive chairman of Alitalia, was named chairman of the bid committee.
    Rome's previous bid to host the 2020 Olympics was dropped in February 2012 by then-premier Mario Monti who suggested that Italy, with all of its debts and serious economic problems, could not afford such an expensive venture.
    Rome hosted the 1960 Olympics and carried off a largely successful edition of the World Swimming Championships in 2009.
    Promoters have said that many of the required sports facilities are operational and would only need upgrading, promoters say.
    These include the Stadio Olimpico which has a running track for athletics, and the pool used for the swimming races at the 2009 world championships.