​Venice and Rome to battle it out to be Olympic host city

Rome and Venice are to go head-to-head for the right to stage the 2020 Olympic Games with both cities officially launching their respective bids.

The Italian cities submitted documentation to their country's Olympic Committee, with a decision expected in May as to which city will be put forward to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who will vote on the host city in 2013.

Rome lost out to Athens while bidding for the 2004 Games but did host the competition in 1960, while many feel it is the turn of Venice which has never been an Olympic host city.

The Mayor of Venice has voiced concerns that the lagoon city does not have enough space to host a Games although mainland surrounding areas are expected to be included in the bid.

"The area that would host the Games is much more extended but tens and tens of millions of Euros will be needed to bid," said Mayor Massimo Cacciari.

Rome has a number of existing structures which could be utilised including facilities used last year to host the World Swimming Championships and a regeneration of the 1960 Olympic Stadium.

Mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno is not worried about the rivalry between the two despite city officials exchanging blows over the past few months about each other's suitability to host a Games.

"We were keen to make our bids together to show that Rome and Venice are competing on loyal terms, in, I dare say, in Olympic spirit," said Alemanno.

Meanwhile, the USA have announced they will not be putting forward a host city for 2020 after being snubbed twice in eight years by the IOC.

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