Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy spoke before the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday to submit a bid for Rome to host the upcoming 2024 Olympics, The Guardian reported.
Renzi's announcement came as a surprise since Italy is currently facing various economic issues. Many citizens of the country are experiencing employment hardships and have been complaining about structural damages in different cities.
Despite critics pointing out that Italy is still in recession, Renzi appeared determined to bring back the Olympics to Rome. The last time Italy hosted the Olympics was in 1960.
"The Italian Government, together with CONI, is ready to do its part for a project that isn't based on great infrastructures or big dreams but rather great people," he told the committee according to Inside The Games.
"We will be at the vanguard for all the spending controls," he added. "Our country too often seems hesitant, it's unacceptable not to try...or to renounce playing the game."
For the 2024 Olympics bid, Renzi noted that Rome is willing to allocate a budget equivalent to $7.5 billion, Associated Press reported.
According to Renzi, if Italy wins the bid, the Olympic Games will be set in Rome but will also be featured in other prominent cities.
"The bid will obviously be centered on Rome," he explained. "But will also involve Florence, Naples and Sardinia. We're making this bid to win."
Italy's decision to express its interest in hosting the Olympics came two years after the country backed out of the bid for the 2020 international sporting event. Back in 2012, then Prime Minister Mario Monti announced that Rome is pulling out of the bid due to Italy's economic condition.
Monti noted that at that time the country is not ready to provide the necessary budget to host the Olympic event.
Aside from Italy, other major countries are also expected to submit their bids. The United States is still choosing between Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles as the potential host of the 2024 Olympics.
Germany is also expected to submit its proposal that could either center on Hamburg or Berlin.
