(ATR) Officials from the Hungarian Olympic Committee tell Around the Rings a new sports law passed by parliament should not be considered government interference.
"There is no government control over the HOC," a spokesperson from Budapest 2024 said to ATR. "Its independence is out of the question."
A new law passed by Hungarian lawmakers removed control of the budgeting for different sport federations in Hungary from the HOC. According to reports, a newly created government program will handle allocation of funding, as well as appointing heads of federations. Local media reports from Hungary said that President Viktor Orban was "unhappy" with the performance of the Hungarian team at the Rio 2016 Olympics. Hungary finished 12th in the overall medal table winning eight gold medals and 15 total medals.
A statement from the HOC says the committee will focus on the administrative side of sport development within Hungary. The duties of the HOC will remain "to act as representatives of the Olympic Movement in Hungary including training and preparation for Olympic competition; to manage international Olympic relations; and to develop Olympic sports."
In addition to budgetary discretion, the government program will develop sports education programs within the Hungarian national curriculum.
"The separation of administrative and governmental tasks from Olympic duties simply makes good sense and governance as is the case in the sporting systems in other countries," the statement said. "The HOC will maintain its important liaison with and accountability to the IOC – as it always has done as a founding member of the modern Olympic Movement. "
The Hungarian capital of Budapest is one of three cities bidding for the 2024 Olympics along with Los Angeles and Paris. Bid officials told ATR that the shakeup will not affect the Budapest 2024 bid, which remains strongly supported by the government.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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