The Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL) has submitted Rome’s bid to host the 2024 European Athletics Championships, with the Colosseum lined up as the stage for shot put events.
Rome is set to face competition from the Polish city of Katowice to host European Athletics’ flagship event, with the winner set to be announced on May 8.
While the majority of the events would be held at the Stadio Olimpico, race walking at Rome 2024 would be staged alongside the ancient Baths of Caracalla after starting from the Arch of Constantine, while the half-marathon would commence and finish in front of the Vatican.
FIDAL has stressed that its bid has the full support of the Italian government and the City of Rome, with lack of backing due to cost concerns ultimately ending the capital’s bids for both the 2020 and 2024 summer Olympic Games.
A successful bid would see the European Championship held in Italy for the third time after Turin’s staging of the inaugural edition in 1934 and Rome’s 1974 event. The European Athletics showpiece was last year held in Berlin, Germany, as part of the inaugural multi-sport European Championships, which saw European championships in multiple disciplines held concurrently in Glasgow and Berlin.
Paris was awarded hosting rights to this year’s event, taking place from August 25-30, back in April 2017, while it will form part of Munich’s European Championships in 2022.
