(adds 'Raggi', 1st graf). (ANSA) - Rome, September 8 - Anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi and her cabinet "have not changed their minds on Rome organising the Olympics in eight years' time and so they say No" to the Games, a well-informed City Hall source told ANSA Thursday. He said Raggi would hold a press conference next week "to make the official announcement". Raggi, who has always been against the Games, saying Rome has other priorities, had said she would wait until she met Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) President Giovanni Malagò later this month before making a final decision. In response to the source, CONI) said Raggi's reported No was "paradoxical" and "impossible" since she had recently promised to see Malagò and subsequently assured Paralympics chief Luca Pancalli she would discuss the bid after the Rio Paralympics. "Mayor Raggi has always said she would first meet Malagò and Pancalli and so far, despite a formal written request, no meeting has been set," the sources said.
The reported No came despite an appeal Thursday from Italy's medalists from the Rio Olympics, who wrote to Raggi asking her not to sink the capital's bid for the 2024 Games, sources at Italia Team told ANSA on Thursday. Three-times shooting Olympic champion Niccolò Campriani also wrote a personal appeal to Raggi in a separate letter, the sources said. Raggi came out against Rome hosting the 2024 Olympics in her campaign to be elected in June. "Dear Raggi, give thrust to our dreams and support Rome's 2024 bid: let's compete together to win a hope," read the letter by the medalists, which ANSA has seen.
"Rome is our capital and we are all at your side in the battles you are fighting to take it back to its former splendour". In his letter, Campriani said the positive legacy of the 2012 London Olympics showed hosting the Games can be a success.