Italian Parliament backs Rome's bid for 2024 Olympics

ROME (AP) The Italian Parliament has voted to back Rome's bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

Italian Premier Matteo Renzi is a strong supporter of Rome's candidacy and the Parliament has now thrown its weight behind the bid.

A statement on the bid website says Parliament ''adopted, by a large majority, a clear and indisputable position on the candidature ... It is a strong yes.''

Despite the statement claiming the vote ''blows away controversies,'' it's unlikely to quash calls for a city referendum from the small, left-wing movement Radicali Italiani.

The IOC will select the 2024 host city next year. Los Angeles, Paris and Budapest, Hungary, are the other bidders.

Rome last hosted the Olympics in 1960. It lost out to Athens in the final voting round for the 2004 Games.