Italy Olympic Games Rome

Omnisports

September 23, 2016 4:38 AM

Italian Olympic committee president Virginia Raggi on Friday revealed that it is "improbable" that Italy will bid for the Olympics for another 20 years.

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Italian Olympic committee president Giovanni Malago on Friday revealed that it is "improbable" that Italy will bid to host the Olympics for another 20 years.

The major of Rome - Virginia Raggi - this week withdrew the city's support to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Raggi stated that it would be "irresponsible" for the Eternal City to continue with their bid, as he was not prepared to rack up huge debts and did not want sport to be "an excuse for more rivers of cement in the city".

Italy has hosted the summer Games just once, back in 1960, and Malago said there could be a long wait before they stage another one.

Malago told reporters: "Anything can happen but it seems to me improbable that there can be another Italian candidacy for the Olympics for the next 20 years,

"This [bidding to host the Olympics] is like a three-legged table -- the city, the government and CONI [Italy's Olympic committee].

"Without one leg the candidacy loses strength. We have accepted this situation while at the same time understanding that it is a loss of international prestige."

Omnisports

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