Italian athletes ask prime minister to support Rome's Olympic bid

ROME (AP) -- Sixty leading Italian athletes are appealing to Premier Mario Monti to support Rome's bid to host the 2020 Olympics as a deadline nears for the government to give its backing.

The International Olympic Committee requires bid cities to provide government financial guarantees, and detailed bid plans must be submitted by Feb. 15.

Though Rome was the first city to announce its 2020 bid, Italy's economic crisis has raised questions about the candidacy. Monti, who heads a government of technocrats charged with battling the country's economic ills, has been noncommittal.

The appeal is to be published Wednesday in eight newspapers. Signatories include soccer star Francesco Totti, as well as Olympic canoer Antonio Rossi and Alpine skier Deborah Compagnoni.

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