Anti-establishment candidate Virginia Raggi has been elected the first female mayor of Rome "in a blow for the city's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games." The 37-year-old has "repeatedly outlined her opposition to the Olympic and Paralympic bid, and, at the very least now appears likely to push for a referendum." Raggi had been opposed by Italian PM Matteo Renzi, "a strong supporter of Rome 2024." Renzi has "admitted that he can do little to stop the Olympic bid being abandoned if a new Rome mayor pushes for such a decision" (INSIDE THE GAMES, 6/20).
HUNGARY OLYMPIC BROADCAST: Hungarian public media fund MTVA has "concluded an agreement for public media to broadcast summer and winter Olympics" between '18 and '24. The MTVA called the agreement "historic" in significance and said in a statement that "this was the first time that the Games will be aired in Hungarian language throughout the Carpathian Basin" (DAILY NEWS HUNGARY, 6/18).
WHISTLEBLOWER AT RIO?: Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said that it would be "absurd" if Russian doping whistleblower Yulia Stepanova was "allowed to compete at the Rio Olympics while clean Russian athletes are barred from the Games" (REUTERS, 6/20).
