Rome 2020 Bid Abandoned after Government Turns Down Support

February 14, 2012

Reports are circulating in the Italian press that Premier Mario Monti has turned down government support for Rome’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics.

The official announcement is due to come later today.

With the current economic crisis and after a careful examination of the costs the government doesn’t feel that the conditions are right to send a letter of guarantees.

The government had delayed a decision until the last minute to back the Eternal City bid as the applicant files are due in tomorrow at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The predicamnet with Athens 2004 and the escalating budget of London 2012 impacted the negative decision.

IOC vice-president and president of the Rome 2020 bid, Mario Pescante, was the one that championed the effort going back almost two years.

He said, “It has been six months that I am been hoping, and I am a bit tired. If they say no?  The decision will be accepted but there will be some accusations.”

Pescante was the driving force behind the Rome 2004 and Torino 2006 bids for the Games.

by Ismail Uddin

Read Mario Pescante’s exclusive interview with iSportconnect here