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Rome bids for 2024 Olympics amid corruption scandal and recession Rome bids for 2024 Olympics amid corruption scandal and recession
(35 minutes later)
Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, brushed off concerns about funding and logistics with an audacious bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games. Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, has brushed off concerns about funding and logistics with an audacious bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.
“You can lose, but what’s unacceptable is to crouch up and give up on playing the game,” Matteo Renzi said at a news conference at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee, in Rome. “We can’t allow our problems to stop us from dreaming.” “You can lose, but what’s unacceptable is to crouch up and give up on playing the game,” Matteo Renzi said at a news conference at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee in Rome on Monday. “We can’t allow our problems to stop us from dreaming.”
The timing was remarked upon by critics immediately: Italy is back in recession, Rome is embroiled in a massive corruption scandal, and the city’s residents complain infrastructure is creaking, the ruins crumbling, and the roads are pot-holed and litter-strewn. What better place, then, to host one of the most high-profile, big-budget, crowd-pulling events in the world?The timing was remarked upon by critics immediately: Italy is back in recession, Rome is embroiled in a massive corruption scandal, and the city’s residents complain infrastructure is creaking, the ruins crumbling, and the roads are pot-holed and litter-strewn. What better place, then, to host one of the most high-profile, big-budget, crowd-pulling events in the world?
But for the ambitious, reform-minded prime minister, the Olympic dream represents a chance to recreate the glory days of the Rome games of 1960, when Italy was in postwar boom and living La Dolce Vita. He compared it to the physical feats of strength required of athletes.But for the ambitious, reform-minded prime minister, the Olympic dream represents a chance to recreate the glory days of the Rome games of 1960, when Italy was in postwar boom and living La Dolce Vita. He compared it to the physical feats of strength required of athletes.
While Rome is at the centre of Italy’s 2024 campaign, all cities, from Florence to Naples, could be involved, he said. It was the first bid to host the 2024 games, with the US expected to make its own pitch this week. A final decision will be made in 2017.While Rome is at the centre of Italy’s 2024 campaign, all cities, from Florence to Naples, could be involved, he said. It was the first bid to host the 2024 games, with the US expected to make its own pitch this week. A final decision will be made in 2017.
“If they were to wait for things to be easy, they wouldn’t be athletes”, Renzi said, in what sounded like a national pep talk. But in his pitch, Renzi also tacitly acknowledged the profound lethargy that Italy has been unable to shake off since the onset of the economic crisis. “If they were to wait for things to be easy, they wouldn’t be athletes,” Renzi said, in what sounded like a national pep talk. But in his pitch, Renzi also tacitly acknowledged the profound lethargy that Italy has been unable to shake off since the onset of the economic crisis.
That has only been made worse recently by ongoing revelations in the latest corruption scandal to rock the country, which have ensnared dozens of politicians in Rome. The alleged crime ring uncovered by police this month was headed by a man named Massimo Carminati (also known as “the pirate”), a former member of a neo-fascist terror group.That has only been made worse recently by ongoing revelations in the latest corruption scandal to rock the country, which have ensnared dozens of politicians in Rome. The alleged crime ring uncovered by police this month was headed by a man named Massimo Carminati (also known as “the pirate”), a former member of a neo-fascist terror group.
This homegrown Rome mafia – in itself a rarity since most of Italy’s organised crime has roots in Naples or Sicily – is alleged to have skimmed millions of euros off public contracts meant to serve the city, from rubbish collection to migrant housing.This homegrown Rome mafia – in itself a rarity since most of Italy’s organised crime has roots in Naples or Sicily – is alleged to have skimmed millions of euros off public contracts meant to serve the city, from rubbish collection to migrant housing.
Renzi’s decision to press ahead with the bid starkly contrasts a move one of his predecessor’s, Mario Monti, who dropped Italy’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics, in 2012, because he said it was too expensive and an irresponsible use of taxpayer funds. At the time, Monti’s decision was seen in Europe as proof his commitment to tackling Italy’s debt crisis. One of Renzi’s predecessors, Mario Monti, dropped Italy’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics, in 2012, because he said it was too expensive and an irresponsible use of taxpayer funds. At the time, Monti’s decision was seen in Europe as proof his commitment to tackling Italy’s debt crisis.
For both supporters and opponents of the current premier, the against-the-odds bid is the hallmark of a leader who is trying to instill change by appealing to the country’s aspirations. For both supporters and opponents of the current leader, the against-the-odds bid is the hallmark of a leader who is trying to instil change by appealing to the country’s aspirations.
“This is not propaganda,” said Federico Niglia, a professor at Luiss university in Rome. “I believe that Renzi is thinking big in this way. We can see this call for hosting the games as a kind of goal, a mission,” he said. “This is not propaganda,” said Federico Niglia, a professor at Luiss University in Rome. “I believe that Renzi is thinking big in this way. We can see this call for hosting the games as a kind of goal, a mission,” he said.
But Renzi’s unlikely dreams of gold also risk further eroding popular support, which has steadily declined since September amid the worsening economy and record unemployment.But Renzi’s unlikely dreams of gold also risk further eroding popular support, which has steadily declined since September amid the worsening economy and record unemployment.
The prime minister’s move was renounced by one of his political rivals, the right-wing Northern League leader, Matteo Salvini, who is gaining popularity. “We still have the white elephants of the Turin Winter Olympics, and we’re still paying off the debts from the World Swimming Championships in Rome five years ago,” he told Agence France-Presse. The prime minister’s move was renounced by one of his political rivals, the rightwing Northern League leader, Matteo Salvini, who is gaining popularity. “We still have the white elephants of the Turin Winter Olympics, and we’re still paying off the debts from the World Swimming Championships in Rome five years ago,” he told Agence France-Presse.
A snap poll by La Repubblica newspaper found that 60% of repondents did not believe Italy was capable of managing an event like the Olympic Games and only 9% said the nation could repeat its success of 1960. A snap poll by La Repubblica newspaper found that 60% of respondents did not believe Italy was capable of managing an event like the Olympic Games and only 9% said the nation could repeat its success of 1960.