ANSA reports the Italian government is totally committed to supporting Rome’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, said Premier Silvio Berlusconi Wednesday, providing a huge lift for the economy.
Rome 2020 head Mario Pescante, Vice President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was presented at a news conference where Berlusconi said, “the government will give its utmost commitment to the bid for the 2020 Olympic Games. Rome is the only city in the world to host a foreign state, the Vatican, and it has the highest concentration of historical treasures.
“I’m convinced that in the future it will represent a reference point and an important diplomatic crossroads for the Mediterranean basin countries that look to Europe and to the West for the training of their political classes”.
He added that Rome will benefit from being the first city to officially throw its hat in, with Dubai and South African and Japanese cities among those to have only expressed an interest so far.
Meanwhile Italian Olympic Committee head Gianni Petrucci was also optimistic about Rome prevailing. He said, “Rome has a big advantage over everyone – 73 per cent of the facilities are ready and the Olympic village is around the sites”.
Petrucci added, “it will be a difficult challenge, let’s not kid ourselves, but after being failed in an exam once, you usually pass the next time”.
