Hungary "humbled, honoured and excited" as Budapest 2024 Olympic Games Bid moves to final stage of IOC Olympic host city selection process

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8 December 2016

Bid leaders thank IOC and Olympic Family for confidence in Budapest 2024 Bid plan for Games in heart of city and for making bid stronger and better

- "We are delighted by the support we have received from the Olympic Movement for our innovative plans to bring the world’s greatest sporting event back to the heart of the city. Our goal is to make the Olympic Games experience more exciting for the athletes and more affordable and accessible for more cities to host and to spread the Olympic spirit and revitalise sport worldwide," Budapest 2024 Bid leader Balázs Fürjes.

The Budapest 2024 leadership team has warmly welcomed the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Budapest has been selected to continue to the third stage of the bidding process to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2024.

Balázs Fürjes, Chairman of the Budapest 2024 Bid Committee, says the team is thrilled by the IOC announcement that Budapest has transitioned into the final phase of the bid, and says that anticipation at the Bid Headquarters in the Hungarian capital of Budapest continues to build.

"Bidding for the Olympic Games is a major responsibility and commitment, and we are humbled and honoured, but also very excited as a city and a country, that Budapest has been selected by the IOC to continue with Paris and Los Angeles to the final stage of the 2024 bid process," Fürjes said.

"The Olympic Games in Budapest is a national priority and a project of national significance for Hungary, which is why the IOC’s decision to move us forward into the final stage of the selection process means so much to us as a nation.

"We are more dedicated than ever in our mission to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Budapest, to Hungary, and to Central Europe for the first time, and to help the Olympic Movement to expand the range of potential host cities for the Games.

"Budapest is a mid-sized global city that has the transport and venue infrastructure, financial resources and economic stability, and major event and project planning experience to deliver the Games on time and on budget.

"Budapest can become a template for the IOC to show how the Olympic Games can be staged in mid-sized cities around the world, providing a new generation of more affordable and lower-risk host city locations, where the Olympic Games can be staged in culturally, architecturally and environmentally beautiful and exciting settings in cities on the rise as alternatives to mega-cities and large capitals. This will help to take the Olympic Games to more cities and countries around the world, and ensure the Games remain the most sought after, most popular and most accessible sporting event worldwide."

Budapest’s transition to the third stage of the selection process follows its successful submission of Stage 2 of the Candidature File, focusing on Governance, Legal and Venue funding arrangements designed to support Budapest’s master plan that places athletes closer to celebrations, venues, accommodation and transport facilities and services located in the heart of Budapest’s city-centred Games.

Games venues, operations and support services will be planned and delivered through effective and time-sensitive governance and decision -making procedures, and one of the most robust and reliable financial plans ever prepared for an Olympic Games, with only three additional venues needed.

Budapest is already a popular choice for international sport federations, having hosted over 30 senior European or World Championship events in the last seven years, in 16 Summer Olympic sports. Next year, Hungary will host the FINA World Aquatics Championships, The European Youth Olympic Festival, the Judo World Championship, the Canoe Sprint World Cup, the Finn Gold Cup, and the Triathlon World Cup, alongside numerous youth and young adult championships and six international para-sport championships.

"We have the venues; we have the build and deadline expertise, and teams on the ground with strong sport and major event and infrastructure experience; and we have the connectivity to access sport professionals in Europe and around the world to ensure that the Olympic Games in Budapest will be delivered on budget and on time," said Fürjes.

Budapest’s vision to revitalise sport and advance the Olympic Movement is fully supported by the Hungarian Government and Parliament, which passed the landmark Olympic Act with an overwhelming 84% cross-party majority support.

This Act is unique for a potential Olympic Games host city, and guarantees binding assurances that the necessary governance, legal and financial mechanisms will be provided to stage the Olympic Games in Budapest in 2024, and lays the foundations for the key roles and responsibilities of both government and private sector stakeholders to deliver the Games.

Budapest’s motto that is it the ‘right city at the right time’ continues to rings true as the Hungarian capital enters this final phase of the Olympic host city selection process, which includes submission of the third stage of the Candidature File next February.

"With steady and sustainable financial growth, Budapest is in the right position at the right time to deliver a low-risk and more affordable Games for the Olympic Movement. And, with the fastest-growing tourism rate in Europe, we are the right city to create an electrifying atmosphere for athletes in full and vibrant venues," Fürjes said.

"Consistently ranked as one of the world’s most peaceful cities in international surveys, Budapest is also the right city at the right time to welcome athletes from sporting nations across the globe and spectators to a secure, festive and friendly Games environment in the heart of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe," he said.

As a country that has planned much of its current and future development around venue and infrastructure for major events and sport – Budapest was recently ranked in a major global survey as one of the world’s leading sports cities – Budapest is in a strong position to deliver the Olympic Games with sustainable legacies and community benefits in business and sport for Hungary, the Central Europe region and the world, enabling the Games to be staged in a new group of mid-sized global cities like Budapest, creating a new era for new host cities and the Olympic Movement.

‘We are continuing to refine our Games plan and are seeking every opportunity to tailor our vision to the needs of the athletes, while ensuring costs and budgets are controlled and contained but are also sufficient with enough contingency to deliver the unique and uplifting Games environment and experience that inspires the athletes and the world, making Budapest the right choice for the IOC and Olympic family of Games stakeholders, especially young people," Fürjes said.

Budapest Bid officials also extended their gratitude to the IOC and the wider Olympic Family for valued feedback in helping to design the Budapest Games master plan, with the Olympic Village close to the city centre and an average transport travel time to venues of just 12 minutes.

"Our innovative bid is stronger and better due to feedback discussions and dialogue with the IOC, the IPC, the IFs, NOCs and wider Games Family as a result of the new Agenda 2020 reforms to the bid process," said Attila Mizsér, Director of Sport and Venues for the bid.

"This collaborative process and guidance has helped us greatly to further develop our intimate master plan, which is built around a compact network of closely located Olympic Games clusters consisting of 26 competition venues, 24 sports and 34 disciplines located within just a 7-kilometre radius from the city centre, and close enough for NOCs to locate all in one Olympic Village, within walking distance of the Olympic Park," he said.

- ENDS –

For more information, please contact Ivan.Rozsa@budapest2024.org

- This year’s Sportcal listings recognise Budapest as the rising star of major global sport events, ranking the city seventh among the top global sport cities and second in the Future Sports Cities Index 2017-2023. Named as European Capital of Sport 2019, Budapest is a high-value city, with an excellent transport infrastructure and a long-term sustainable development plan. The Budapest 2024 Olympic Bid proposes a compact and intimate Games footprint in the capital, and a truly nationwide Games that features sport in six other Olympic cities. Budapest 2024 is dedicated to deliver an on-budget and inclusive Olympic and Paralympic Games in one of the top 20 most peaceful countries in the world. Sports-mad Hungary was one of the founding members of the IOC and has participated in the Games since 1896. Hungary is the only country ranked in the top ten of the all-time Olympic Medal table that has not yet hosted the Olympic Games.

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