New bid leader Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the former head of Ferrari, who was appointed to the role on Tuesday (February 10), and Italian Olympic Committee President Giovanni Malagò travelled to the IOC's Lausanne headquarters to discuss bringing the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to Italy's capital city.

"It is great to see a city already taking advantage of the Invitation Phase, which gives us the chance to ask potential bid cities how they see the Olympic Games best fitting into their long-term social, sports, ecological and economic environment," Bach said.

"It also gives the cities an opportunity to receive information and advice from the IOC on how best to achieve such legacies."

Rome, which launched its bid two months ago, is hoping to secure the hosting rights for the first time since it staged the 1960 Olympics and Paralympics.

Rome is hoping to secure the hosting rights for the Summer Games for the first time since it staged the 1960 Olympics and Paralympics ©Getty Images


In order to do so, however, it will have to top a campaign from Boston, which is the only other confirmed bidding city for 2024 to date.

Rome may also have competition from Germany, which is set to decide between Berlin and Hamburg as its candidate, Paris, either Pretoria or Gauteng Province in South Africa, the Qatari capital of Doha, Budapest, Hungary and Azerbaijan's capital Baku, which are other possible contenders.

The deadline for 2024 bids is September 15 and the IOC is due to vote for the host city during its Session in Lima in 2017.

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