Italy to bid for 2026 Olympics with Cortina, Milan or Turin

turin-olympics

In this Feb. 20, 2006 file photo, the Mole Antoneliana, left, Turin's most famous landmark, is backdropped by the Alps, in Turin, northern Italy. The Italian Olympic Committee sent a letter of intent to the IOC on Thursday, March 29, 2018, stating its plans of combining Milan and Turin to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics. (Massimo Pinca, files/AP)

MILAN — Italy will bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics despite having withdrawn two bids to host the Summer Games in Rome.

The Italian Olympic Committee said on Tuesday that Cortina, Milan, and Turin have put themselves forward and the bid city will be decided on at its next meeting, on Aug. 1 or Sept. 10.

An evaluation committee of 11 people, including the president of the Italian ski federation and a CONI vice-president, will carry out feasibility studies and draw up a report for the board.

Two years ago, Italy was forced to suspend Rome’s bid for the 2024 Olympics because of the staunch opposition of the city’s mayor.

It was the second time in four years a Rome bid was withdrawn or suspended. In 2012, then-premier Mario Monti scrapped the city’s bid for the 2020 Olympics because of financial concerns.

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