Olympics: Budapest 2024 readies for lessons to take home from Rio 2016 debrief
LAURA WALDEN (USA) / Sports Features Communications
(SFC) The Budapest 2024 delegation is traveling to Tokyo to
take notes on the "successes and lessons" coming out of the Rio 2016
summer Games that can be incorporated into their Olympic plan.
Balázs Fürjes, Chairman of Budapest 2024, noted, "Our aim is
to get a more detailed understanding of the critical success factors underlying
the world's biggest and most inspirational sporting and peacetime event, the
Olympic Games, and how Budapest can help meet the needs and priorities of the
Olympic Movement."
Last week all three cities running for the chance to host
the 2024 Summer Games were in Doha for the Association of the National Olympic
Committees (ANOC) annual assembly in Qatar. Paris and Los Angeles are competing
against Budapest to win the right to stage the big event in 2024.
The Rio 2016 debrief is part of IOC's Transfer of Knowledge
Programme and highlights the pros and cons of last summer's Olympic Games in
the next host city. It gives the three bidding cities a chance to fine tune
their candidatures.
"Budapest is taking every opportunity to learn from and
collaborate with the Olympic experts in building a bid which demonstrates that Budapest
is the right sized city at the right time to host the 2024 Olympic Games; the
real alternative," explained Fürjes.
"We must focus on analysis of Games plans, priorities, and
of course on containing costs, especially now in these times of global
uncertainty, but still ensure the spectacular sporting performances we saw in
Rio which thrilled and engaged the world.
"We must focus on Games wide planning and operations that
enable thousands of elite athletes, from more than 200 nations and territories,
to train and compete to the best of their ability across multiple sports in
multiple venues, simultaneously, with almost no margin for error.
The Budapest masterplan is cost effective according to
Agenda 2020 and after investing $50 billion in infrastructure over the past 15
years according to Hungary's national development plan, the city is in good
shape to offer a lucrative bid.
"Just three additional venues will be required to host the
2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games," Fürjes confirmed. "Hosting the
Olympic Games in a mid-sized global city like Budapest will enhance the Games
experience and environment by making the electrifying sport and atmosphere of
the Games, and Games venues, facilities and festivals more accessible and
convenient for athletes and spectators.
"The Games in Budapest will also leave a far-reaching legacy
for the Olympic Movement, bringing the Olympics to Central Europe for the first
time and opening the Games up to a new group of midsized international cities.
This will dramatically expand the choice of potential new Olympic host cities
and ensure the Olympic Games remains the most sought after and accessible
sporting event for cities and countries world-wide," he concluded.
**LAURA WALDEN has over twenty-five years of experience in the Olympic Movement, formerly at the European Olympic Committees with SportEurope under former IOC President Dr. Jacques Rogge and IOC Member Mario Pescante. She worked with the Rome 2004 and Turin 2006 Olympic bids and also managed PR & media for Dr. Jacques Rogge during his campaign for the presidency.
Keywords · Olympics · Rio 2016 · Budapest 2024
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