Cost reason for Olympic No - Raggi (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, September 27 - 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".