The president of the World Athletics praised Budapest during his speech.Continue reading
On Saturday, Viktor Orbán attended a reception in honor of the World Athletics Championships at the House of Music Hungary, where he met with world sports leaders and sports diplomats, reports Hirado.hu.
In his welcome address, the prime minister said that there is an eternal alliance between Hungary and sports. Those who have been here in Budapest in recent days have seen that Hungary is ancient and modern, national and open, and have seen what Hungarians are really like: passionate and respectful, where the love of sports and respect for sporting heroes overrides almost everything.
No wonder we have hosted so many excellent sporting events, he continued. In the last few years alone, Hungary has hosted the World Aquatics Championships, the fencing and judo world championships, the handball world championships, the Giro d’Italia, and the UEFA Europa League final, too. The prime minister added that he hopes a Champions League final could soon take place in Budapest as well.
Budapest has become a meeting point for the sports-loving world,”
Orbán emphasized.
Viktor Orbán and Sebastian Coe, President of the World Athletics. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán
Regarding a possible future Olympic Games, the prime minister pointed out that Hungary is eighth in the overall medal table for the Summer Olympics, with larger and more populous nations behind in the rankings, highlighting that Hungary is the only country in the top ten that has not yet hosted an Olympic Games. This is unlikely to remain the case until the end of time, he added. In this context, over the weekend, the prime minister received Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, for talks at his office at the Carmelite Monastery.
Viktor Orbán (R) greeting Thomas Bach in Budapest. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán
At the reception for the World Athletics Championships, the prime minister also spoke about the importance of peace, stressing that Hungarians have dedicated this tournament to peace. Finally, he thanked the organizers and volunteers for their hard work.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised the event, as well as the organizing committee and the volunteers. He said that “this is the fortieth anniversary of the first World Athletics Championships, and for this we had to find an impressive host. With Budapest we found it.”
Featured photo via MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán