2024 Olympics in Rome would be ‘irresponsible’ as the city is ‘unlivable’, says city's mayor

'We don't want sport to be an excuse for more rivers of cement in the city. We won't allow that,' says Rome mayor Virginia Raggi

Virginia Raggi, Rome's new mayor, at a press conference on Wednesday (Reuters)

Rome should not bid for the 2024 Olympics as it would be “irresponsible” to divert funds away from improving living conditions, the city's new mayor has said.

Hosting the summer games would bury the Italian capital under mountains of debt and “rivers of cement”, Virginia Raggi told reporters.

“This city is unlivable,” said Ms Raggi, who became Rome’s first female mayor in a landslide victory in local elections in June. “We need to focus on that.”

“We have a much more ambitious project for Rome than the one for the 2024 Games,” she said. “We want to upgrade the services, give back to citizens a city that is as worthy as any other European capital.”

Ms Raggi's decision means only Paris, Los Angeles and Budapest are left in the running to stage the Games – a blow to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has already seen Boston and Hamburg abandon their 2024 bids.

“It would be irresponsible for us to support this candidacy,” said the mayor, adding that debts racked up by the 2006 Winter Games in Turin were ongoing.

“We have nothing against the Olympics and sport [...] but we don't want sport to be an excuse for more rivers of cement in the city. We won't allow that.”

Ms Raggi, 38, is a member of the Five Star Movement, the anti-establishment political group led by TV comedian Beppe Grillo.

The party, which is against globalisation and has positioned itself as a bastion of honesty, has seen a surge in popularity this year, taking key mayoral seats in Rome, Turin and in a handful of smaller towns.

However, Ms Raggi has had a rough start since taking office, with her administration falling into disarray over a spate of resignations and judicial inquiries.

During the hot months of summer, rubbish bags piled up in the streets, partly due to the lack of waste disposal sites and the crippling debt the city’s sanitation service is experiencing.

A pile of rubbish next to an old Fiat 500 car in central Rome in July (Getty Images)

Rome's Olympic bid team reacted furiously to her decision, saying it had been taken for “ideological, political and demagogic” reasons.

Pulling out of the Olypmic race would deprive the city of more than 1.5 billion euros in investments and the creation of nearly 200,000 jobs, the team said in a statement.

“We are disappointed that a new political force is unwilling to accept the challenge of modernisation,” it said, adding that the decision represented “a severe blow to Italy's credibility worldwide”.

Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Malago said he would not give up hope until the decision to pull out of the bid was finalised.

“Hearing 'no' hurts. I'm very sorry. It was possible to do this, and do it well,” he said, according to The Local. “We will continue [with the bid] until I hear a formal no.”

Ms Raggi said the Olympics often ran over budget and said Rome could not afford such a huge undertaking, adding it would have left the city with sports arenas it did not need.

Brazil spent about $12 billion (£9.2 billion) on the Rio Games last month, which proved a sporting success but was marred by complaints over budget overruns and infrastructure delays.

Some social media users appear to agree with Ms Raggi’s comments. “Rome wants to host the 2024 Olympics but can’t even keep public transportation running when it rains,” wrote one Twitter user.

“Logistical nightmare and financial disaster averted. Brava [well done], Virginia Raggi,” wrote another.

But others were disappointed by the decision. “I have no idea how Rome will ever become a world class city now,” wrote one user.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had championed Rome's challenge, but he needed the backing of the city council to press ahead.

Rome had also bid to host the 2020 Games, but then-prime minister Mario Monti withdrew due to concerns over Italy's finances.

The IOC's “Agenda 2020” aimed to cut the cost of the Games and make bidding more attractive, but has failed to stop cities withdrawing their candidacies, scared off by the size, cost and complexity of the event.

Boston pulled out of the current race over financial concerns and the residents of Hamburg voted against a bid in a referendum.

The IOC will decide on the 2024 host city in September 2017. Budapest said on Wednesday it would fight to the end to clinch the Games.

Additional reporting by agencies