Rome 2024 Keeping the Faith

(ATR) Rome 2024 is not yet giving up its fight to bring the Olympic Games back to the Eternal City.

It seemed evident that with the Rome City Counsel’s affirmative 30-12 vote on Thursday in support of Mayor Virginia Raggi’s motion to deny government support, the Olympic bid was dead.

However, Rome 2024 is fighting back with the launch of an aggressive campaign on the bid website, attacking and clarifying points that Raggi made in a slide presentation demonstrating a history of failed bids due to poor economics. Along with opportunistic contingency plans, bid leaders are forging forward.

One example, in response to Raggi claiming that Rome can’t afford the Olympic Games, the Rome 2024 site declares: "The Truth Is: The City of Rome Will Not Pay One Euro. The Costs Are Entirely At The Expense Of The International Olympic Committee (IOC) And Italian Government".

A meeting between Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago and IOC president Thomas Bach, who will be in Rome next week attending the Vatican Faith and Sport Conference, Oct. 5-7, is planned for next Tuesday. Additional IOC members will accompany Bach to the international conference, where athletes, religious leaders and civil authorities will come together.

The IOC sent a letter to Rome 2024 leaders yesterday (Sep. 29) acknowledging the City Council vote, but also the strong support of the Italian government and greater Lazio region for the candidature. It noted that they are in contact "to clarify these political circumstances".

"I’ll meet with IOC president Thomas Bach – this is not only my decision to make," Malago said. "However, I assume that the lack of support from the city council undermines the credibility of the candidature.

"We’ll decide what to do after meeting Bach on Tuesday," said the CONI leader.

Despite the lack of support from the Rome city government, it seems there could be leniency granted by Bach to help keep Rome 2024 alive with the next bid candidate dossier scheduled to be delivered on October 7.

Around the Rings has learned that additional strategies and contingencies include moving the bid forward based upon national support from prime minister Matteo Renzi and backing by government officials in the Lazio region. The Italian central peninsula region is comprised of 5.9 million residents, including Rome’s 2.7 million.

Rome 2024 cites Madrid’s bid in 2009 for the 2016 Games as an example of a candidature that proceeded despite wavering city support, relying on regional and national backing.

Another potential move by Rome 2024 could be appealing the decision of Rome’s City Council to the Administrative Tribunal based upon fallacies in the evidence Raggi presented to the council. International sports lawyers are exploring legal possibilities.

Rome 2024 leaders remain hopeful, not willing to quit despite the stance of Rome’s 38-year-old mayor, who belongs to the Five Star Movement Party.

"I still hope Rome will win this great challenge. There’s always hope," Rome 2024 bid chief Luca di Montezemolo told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera Friday.

Rome 2024 general director Diana Bianchedi, a former Olympic fencer said: "I've staged comebacks from a 14-1 disadvantage, where the winning score was 15. I was taught never to give up before the end. It's a sign of respect for the work already done."

It may certainly take Divine Intervention along with Pope Francis’ hope to unite religion and sport next week at the Vatican, but Rome 2024 leaders are keeping the faith.

Written by Brian Pinelli

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