Giovanni Malagò, President of the Italian Olympic Committee, has said he is optimistic that Rome will secure the hosting rights for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics after a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach today.
Bach met with both Malagò and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to discuss the Games bid during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Following the meeting, Malagò was realistic about the challenges but also felt confident in the Italian capital’s chances of hosting the 2024 edition of the Olympics.
“We know it will be very complicated, but we are optimistic,” he said.
“The Olympics will be held in Rome?
“I think so, I’m an optimistic person.”
Bach, who met with a range of global leaders at the opening day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, also came out of the meeting with praise for Renzi’s commitment to the Olympic Movement.
“During the meeting the clear and strong commitment of Prime Minster Renzi became even more obvious,” he explained.
“These words also underline his passion and in-depth knowledge of the Olympic Games and of Olympic Agenda 2020, including the opportunities it offers for bidding cities.”
Rome confirmed a bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics last month, just two years after the Italian Government scrapped its campaign to secure the hosting rights for the 2020 edition due to financial constraints.
Aside from Rome, Boston is the only other city to have formally put forward a bid for the 2024 Games, although potential bids are being considered by Berlin or Hamburg in Germany, as well as South Africa, Paris, Budapest, Doha and Baku.
The IOC will vote on the 2024 Olympic host city at its Session in Lima, Peru on September 15, 2017.
This article was republished with permission from the original publisher, insidethegames.com.