(ATR) Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited IOC headquarters in Lausanne Thursday to defend the Rome 2024 Olympic bid.
"We have seen the presentation of a bid candidature which is addressing all of Olympic Agenda 2020 with a great combination of tradition and innovation," Bach told reporters following the meeting.
Renzi attended the meeting along with CONI president Giovanni Malago and Rome 2024 chairman Luca di Montezemolo. The bid team presented the IOC with a recent poll that shows more than 75 percent of Italians surveyed were in favor of the Rome bid. A total of 2,200 Roman and Italian citizens were polled by IPSOS in the survey.
Rome 2024 says the support was largely due to the belief the bid will create jobs in the area as well as improve infrastructure and services in the capital.
"The Olympic Games are a great opportunity, the projects are ready, the government is working hard with CONI because sports is a part of the Italian culture and an investment for our future," says Renzi.
Rome is competing with Budapest, Paris and Los Angeles to earn the right to host the 2024 Summer Games, a decision that will be made at the IOC Session in 2017.
French president Francois Hollande and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also recently visited Lausanne to meet with IOC members about their respective bids. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti made the trip to Lausanne shortly after the launch of the L.A. bid in September.
Renzi says the Rome campaign has "respect for everyone, fear of no one".
"What counts for us is to win," said Renzi. "This is the right time for Rome; the government is here and strongly committed to the bid until 2017."
Bach recognized the support shown by the Italian government.
"We have an extremely strong commitment by the President of the Council of Ministers and all of the government," said Bach.
Bach wished the Rome bid the best of luck on the road to the 2017 IOC decision.
"One year and a half until Sept. 2017: our team is strong and fully committed from CONI with Malagò to the bid team with president Montezemolo," says Renzi.
The first of three stages of bid deliverables is due to the IOC by Feb. 17.
Written by KevinNutley
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