Szijjarto: Hungary playing key part in renewal of international Olympic movement

After meeting leaders of the International Olympic Committee as well as six Olympic champions, the minister said qualifiers are being held in Budapest at the weekend for the Paris Olympics in urban sports such as break dance, BMX, sport climbing and skateboarding.

“The international Olympic movement is facing new challenges as media consumption habits as well the related sponsorship and advertising activities have changed, and the Olympic movement must respond to the digital and media challenges of the times,” Szijjarto was quoted as saying by the ministry. Integrating modern urban sports into the Olympic Games was part of this response, he added.

Szijjarto said it was a great honour for Hungary to play a key role in the renewal of the Olympic movement by hosting the competitions of the qualifier series in addition to Shanghai.

“Hungary had a great dream, to host the Olympics Games… For a country that has already hosted European and world championships in sports ranging from athletics through swimming and water polo to modern pentathlon, handball or basketball, I think it is justified to keep this dream alive,” Szijjarto said, adding that all participants, including athletes and sports leaders, had been highly satisfied with Hungary’s organisation of events.