By Nick Butler

Budapest Mayor Istvan Tarlós has indicated that he will oppose the city's potential bid for the Olympics ©TwitterBudapest's potential bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games has hit a brick wall after the Hungarian capital's Mayor, Istvan Tarlós, dismissed it as "unrealistic".


Earlier this month, Zsigmond Nagy, director of international relations at the Hungarian Olympic Committee (HOC), spoke optimistically to insidethegames about why a bid would be both beneficial and successful.

A more concrete endorsement was then provided by HOC President Zsolt Borkai, who claimed its intentions to host the Games were "unequivocal", that they "would like to host the best athletes in the world in Budapest.", and that "concrete steps" would be taken soon. 

Although doubts were expressed by some, this proposal was met with approval from various figures in the European nation.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Pál Schmitt, the two-time Olympic champion fencer who served as President of Hungary from 2010 until 2012, has also claimed the Hungarian capital would be ready to host the Olympics and Paralympics in 2024.

It was thought a bid could be launched partly to hone preparations for a more serious attempt for the 2028 edition. 

But, in a markedly less optimistic vein, Tarlós said such an attempt was not viable, and that although hosting the world's biggest sporting event would have a considerable impact on tourism and sport in the city, now was not an appropriate time to launch a bid.

Budapest has never hosted an Olympic Games and now appears unlikely to bid for 2024 ©AFP/Getty ImagesBudapest has never hosted an Olympic Games and now appears unlikely to bid for 2024 ©AFP/Getty Images




Like in many other countries that are members of the European Union, Hungary has battled an ailing economy in recent years, and it is presumably this climate which has led Tarlós to conclude that bidding for an Olympics is unfeasible. 

But there is also a political dimension, with Tarlós running again for Mayor in Hungarian local elections on October 12.

His main contender, centre-left candidate Ferenc Falus, publicly asked Tarlós whether he thought hosting the Olympic Games was a realistic idea, so it is possible he spoke as he did to avoid the issue negatively affecting the late stages of his campaign. 

Whatever reasoning, the news is a further indication of the apathy from European cities about bidding for Summer or Winter Olympic Games in the current economic climate, an issue which is currently generating great concern across the Olympic Movement. .

As it stands, Berlin and Hamburg have indicated their intention to bid, with the German Olympic Sports Confederation currently considering which, if either, of the two to put forward.

Paris, Rome and Istanbul are other potential contenders with a United States bid - from either Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington DC - also likely. 

The IOC is due to name the host city at its Session in 2017.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2014: Budapest considering bid for 2024 Olympics and Paralympics