Italy must unite all forces, all political alignments in the interests of Rome 2020,’ Italian minister Gianni Letta recently said at the presentation of the Fondazione Roma 2020. The foundation will be organizing Rome’s international campaign to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2020.
Within Italy, Rome beat Venice in the competition to be the city represented in the nation’s bid.
‘This event,’ Letta concluded, ‘is the most beautiful, the strongest and the most global that can be imagined. Olympic Games are an important goal for the whole country and . . . the host city.’
‘This is the first meeting, the first training. The important thing is to participate to win,’ said Gianni Petrucci, president of CONI, Italy’s Olympic Committee.
Petrucci continued: ‘Everyone saw how important the last Games were. This team [Fondazione Roma 2020] has to be a winning team. The important thing is to participate, but I complete the sentence of de Coubertin by adding ‘to win.’ [Hosting the] Olympic Games can be successful when the organizational aspect is combined with the sport aspect. We are at the top of world sport and we will try our best to present our country in the best way. This is a good start, this dream is not impossible.’
