(ATR) Katinka Hosszu, Hungary’s three-time Olympic swimming champion, tellsAround the Ringsthat Budapest’s failed bid to host the 2024 Games is "a sad situation" for the country's athletes.
Hosszu, nicknamed the Iron Lady, was one of the main star guests at the opening of the Danube Arena in Budapest this week, which will host the FINA World Aquatics Championships in July this year.
She even christened one of the pools, showing off her technique that has led her to become an Olympic, World and European champion on multiple occasions.
The Hungarian was one of the swimming stars of the Rio Olympics, capturing gold medals in the 100m backstroke, and the 200m and 400m medley.
But her mood was downbeat when speaking about the news that the protest movement NOlimpia had succeeded in triggering a referendum on whether to move ahead with the bid to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. She spoke before the decision was reached to pull out of the race.
"I do believe all the Hungarian Olympians are dreaming of having an Olympics in Hungary and just competing in front of their Hungarian fans," Hosszu told ATR. "Actually a lot of people were asking me about the bid in Rio, they were congratulating me on the bid during the Games.
"I think right now it's more of a political fight about the bid so for us, the athletes, this dream might not come true so it's a sad situation for us."
Budapest was competing with Los Angeles and Paris to be chosen to host the Games by the International Olympic Committee at their session in Lima, Peru in September.
The call for the referendum came amid concerns among many young people in Hungary that hosting an Olympic Games would not be the best use of public funds.
Concerns have been raised among Olympic dissenters in Budapest that the Games would mean unnecessary investment in building sporting venues.
However, bid leaders stressed to reporters this week that only three additional venues are required by the Budapest 2024 Games concept, with many venues already planned as part of the ‘Budapest Sustainable Development Plan 2030’.
Written and reported by Christian Radnedgein Budapest.
Follow him on Twitter @ChristianRad
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