On May 23 1954, the Hungarian "Golden Team" thrashed England 7-1 in a match held at the venue then known as the Népstadion. At the time, Helsinki 1952 men's Olympic football champions Hungary were widely viewed as the best team in the world under the management of Gusztáv Sebes. They had stunned the English crowd on a visit to Wembley Stadium in November 1953, Hungary's application of a 4-2-4 formation laying bare the limitations and outdatedness of the WM tactical set-up deployed by the host nation in a 6-3 demolition.

If the hope had been for the rematch in Budapest to prove that what has come to be known as the "match of the century" was merely a one-off, the English Football Association's dreams were brutally crushed Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis and co. The match has been viewed as confirmation that English football had been left behind and was held back by a stubborn, arrogant belief in its divine right to superiority in the sport. On the flip side, it further cemented Hungary's status as red-hot favourites for the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Switzerland.

Their story had a tragic ending. As expected, the Mighty Magyars took a two-goal lead inside eight minutes of the World Cup final in Bern against West Germany. However, in the 82 minutes that followed, they contrived to concede three goals in one of football's most unexpected, and controversial, results. The "Miracle of Bern" as it is now known. Two years later, after the failed Hungarian uprising in October and November 1956, the team was essentially broken up. Leading stars including Puskás, Zoltán Czibor and Kocsis all emigrated. Puskás did not return to Hungary until 1981.

It is an incredible story that has been told in some detail. Hungary 7-1 England is certainly one of the Golden Team's, and international football's, most iconic matches.

Puskás' name is legendary in Hungary to this day, hence the state-of-the-art 67,000 capacity Puskás Aréna - which opened in 2019 on the same site as the Népstadion - being named after the former national team captain.

This time last year, the eyes of the world gazed in amazement as the Puskás Aréna opened its doors to capacity crowds for UEFA Euro 2020 matches. After nearly 18 months of life as we knew it transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and of sport for many turning stale by a lack of crowds, Hungary's decision to permit full houses raised more than a few eyebrows.

Hungary's match against Portugal on June 15 2021 marked the biggest crowd gathered to watch an event in Europe since the beginning of the pandemic. Over the following months, the incredible sight of a full Puskás Aréna became one replicated across much of the continent.

May 23 1954 and June 15 2021 - two historic dates for which the Puskás Aréna played host to an event with continental, even worldwide reverberations.

Many commentators have already taken to label last last Sunday, June 19, as a further "historic" occasion held in that particular part of Budapest.

The International Swimming Federation's (FINA) decision to significantly change its policy on the eligibility of transgender athletes in women's competitions was big, of that there is no question,

Individuals are now required to have completed transition by the age of 12 to compete in women's competitions, effectively banning transgender women if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty. FINA President Husain Al-Musallam also announced that the governing body hopes to create an "open category" of competition.

Yet I have admit I have preferred to use the terminology "landmark" as opposed to "historic" to describe the move. The dust is still very much settling on FINA's decision, and it is far too early to assess the historical significance of the changes made. We will find out more on whether it sparks an implementation of more stringent restrictions on the participation of transgender athletes in women's events from other International Federations (IFs), or whether the divisive reaction to the verdict saps governing bodies' appetite for change, in the coming months and years.

IFs will have taken note of the decision. The onus has very much been on them since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced its new framework for the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport in November of last year. That stance has come under renewed criticism this week, with the IOC accused of passing the buck on a difficult issue which has no solution that appeases everybody. For its part, the IOC through spokesperson Mark Adams has insisted that "each sport should and does know best how to look at [transgender rules] not only by sport but also by its disciplines".

Earlier this week, two of the biggest IFs in FIFA and World Athletics confirmed that they are reviewing their eligibility rules. Governing body International Rugby League also drew itself into line with its rugby union counterpart World Rugby in banning transgender players from women's competitions until further notice. In the week prior to the FINA verdict, the International Cycling Union increased the period for which transgender athletes must demonstrate their testosterone levels have been lowered to 24 months and lowered the maximum permitted plasma testosterone level to 2.5 nanomoles per litre.

Yet in the wake of FINA's decision, which has received both high praise and vehement criticism, most seem to be keeping their cards close to their chest.

I must confess, I have a degree of sympathy with IFs, and even the IOC, on this issue. Not a sentence I nor my insidethegames colleagues will write every day.

"I have wrestled long and hard with myself about what to say and what to do," Australia's four-time Olympic gold medallist Cate Campbell admitted at the Extraordinary Congress, where she joined American Summer Sanders in addressing the room to provide an athletes' perspective on the changes.

Representatives from the scientific and legal professions also spoke at the Extraordinary Congress.

Perhaps foreseeing the bitter nature of the ensuing debate, Al-Musallam then offered a sort-of compromise.

"I completely understand that this is a policy which will not be supported by some of our transgender athletes," Al-Musallam admitted.

"I would like to speak to them now and say this - you are a very important member of the FINA family. Every single athlete who chooses to take part in aquatic sport is a member of FINA. I want everybody to feel welcome and introduced.

"And this is why I am going to make a further announcement today. I do not want any talented athlete to be told that they are unable to compete at the highest level. I do not want that discrimination. I will set up a working group that will establish an open category at some of our biggest events."

As he alluded to, this has the potential to move away from what has become the established norm in most sports of running separate categories of events for male and female athletes, notwithstanding the IOC's recent encouragement of mixed events.

"FINA is leading the way. We will be the first International Federation to begin this work," Al-Musallam claimed.

"I cannot stand here today and pretend that I have all the answers. I know that there will be challenges in creating open categories. Nobody has all the answers at this moment. But that is why I want to set up a group that works hard to deliver this. We need to spend time to get this right. I want the group to report back within the next six months."

After the changes were approved, Al-Musallam conceded that "this policy, I'm sure with time will be amended, and we will bring it back to the Congress for further discussion".

Legitimate questions were raised by members from Sweden and New Zealand at the Extraordinary Congress on how individuals aged 12 and under can be expected to take a "life-changing decision" as required under FINA's new policy. Al-Musallam insisted that such issues would be addressed by the working group,

FINA took a plunge into the pool on June 19 2022 on a 71.5 per cent vote. Given the scale of the changes, it seems reasonable to term it a landmark date.

Yet with so much still unknown, its wider impact remains to bs seen. The Puskás Aréna has previous for hosting historic sporting events. We will find out in the coming months and years whether this one is added to the list.