Ferrari president set to lead Rome's Olympic bid
Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo is set to lead Rome's bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
- Associated Press
- Updated: March 02, 2011 09:37 PM IST
Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo is set to lead Rome's bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
Di Montezemolo met with Italian cabinet undersecretary Gianni Letta on Saturday to discuss the role and the conditions of the bid, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
"Luca Di Montezemolo is the right man," Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci said. "He is one of the most famous Italians in the world and he will improve our chances."
Di Montezemolo was head of Italy's organizing committee for the 1990 World Cup.
He took over the presidency of Ferrari in 1991 and in 1999 led the team to its first constructors' championship since 1983. A year later Michael Schumacher won Ferrari's first world championship since 1979.
In 2008 he set up and became president of the Formula One Teams' Association, a position he held until 2010.
Last week, fitness equipment entrepreneur Nerio Alessandri turned down the role, saying he was unable to balance it with his commitments as president of Technogym.
Rome is the only city nominated so far to have been nominated by its national Olympic committee to bid for 2020. The host city will be chosen in 2013.
The Italian capital previously hosted the Olympic Games in 1960. Highlights included a young Cassius Clay winning the light heavyweight boxing title and a barefooted Abebe Bikila crossing the line first in the men's marathon.