Italy to bid for 2024 Olympic Games: PM

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi Monday announced that Italy will formally present by September next year its candidacy to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Renzi made the announcement at a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) here, reports Xinhua.

"The Italian government will work together with CONI to present Italy's candidacy to the 2024 Olympics within September 2015," he said.

Renzi pledged that the Italian project will be "cutting edge" as the country has all the conditions to host the games.

"We are not going to present our candidacy not in order to participate, but in order to win," he stressed.

Florence and Naples as well as the Sardinia island will be involved in the Rome-centred project, Renzi highlighted.

The prime minister added that sports is a fundamental element for the success of a country and his government was particularly committed to reinforce sports activities in schools.

In 2012, Rome was forced to drop its bid for the 2020 Olympic Games when the then prime minister Mario Monti said it would not be wise for his emergency government to make such a financial commitment amid deep economic crisis.