“Sport has a political and diplomatic role to play,” said Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs meeting CONI President Giovanni Malagò and Rome 2024 Olympic
bid leader Luca di Montezemolo for the presentation of the initiatives promoted by the Italian system at the forthcoming Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “Italy in Rio 2016” was the title of the meeting, which was also attended by the Minister of Heritage and Cultural Activities and Tourism, Dario Franceschini and Ricardo Neiva Tavares, Ambassador of Brazil in Italy.
Expressing his aspiration for the Games, Minister Gentiloni said: “We would like to repeat the Olympic exchange between Rome and Tokyo that took place for the 1960-1964 Games. This time Japan will host the Olympiad before the one we hope to host. I’m thinking of Montezemolo and Malagò and their efforts for the Olympic apparatus, which works for sports diplomacy and has our full support. We present ourselves convinced that it is a great chance to meet people and countries.”
This story first appeared in the blog, The Sport Intern. The editor is Karl-Heinz Huba of Lorsch, Germany. He can be reached at ISMG@aol.com. The article is reprinted here with permission of Huba.