The Budapest Times
Balázs Fürjes

Hungarian IOC member shares experience organising urban sports contests

Written by BT/MTI
Balazs Furjes, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), delivered a presentation sharing Hungary's experience organising urban sports contests at the Ludovika University of Public Service in Budapest on Saturday.

Over the weekend, the Ludovika campus is hosting the inaugural Olympic Qualifier Series, where athletes in BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing can secure a spot at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Furjes noted that Hungary had hosted the World Urban Games five years earlier and showcased the event in a short film.

Earlier, Pierre Fratter-Bardy, the IOC’s associate director for strategy and development, said fans were following the contest at the Ludovika campus with “great enthusiasm”, with a younger crowd matching the spirit shown by older fans when Budapest hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2023.

Furjes said that backing for urban sports needed to be strengthened, while preserving Hungary’s success in sports in which the country traditionally excelled. He added that Hungarians competing at the qualifiers had an “enormous opportunity”, both in Budapest and in Shanghai, which hosted the first stop of the Olympic Qualifier Series.

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