Budapest Assembly vows to support city's 2024 Olympic bid

Budapest, June 24 (IANS) Following a long meeting, the Budapest Municipal Assembly voted to support a bid by the city to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

City Mayor Istvan Tarlos submitted the proposal to the assembly on Tuesday, saying he agreed with the Hungarian Olympic Committee (HOC) that together, and with parliamentary support, the European country had the wherewithal to host the Games. He said he too supported the idea, reports Xinhua.

The assembly authorised Tarlos to co-sign the memorandum of intent alongside the HOC president once parliament has officially declared its support for the bid.

The HOC resolved on June 10 to support Budapest in submitting a declaration of intent to host the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

At the same time it officially called on the assembly to also back the declaration of intent and authorise Tarlos to represent the city and to jointly submit the declaration along with the HOC.

A feasibility study found that hosting the Olympics and Paralympics could be profitable for the national economy. The master plan names a site in the southern part of the Hungarian capital and also considers several venues in other towns. The dates it proposes are July 19-August 4 in 2024.

Hungary is a founding member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is in eighth place globally regarding the number of Olympic medals won, and has never hosted an Olympics.

Bids to host the 2024 Games have to be submitted by September 15 this year and the IOC will choose the host in 2017.