Budapest aims to be among the leading European sports capitals, Hungarian Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai, told the 55th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee (EOC) in Budapest on Friday.
Quoted by MTI, the minister, whose portfolio includes sports affairs, said the assembly was an excellent opportunity to "show the strength of sports, strengthen international cooperation and the commitment to the Olympic movement."
He added sports had a "special place in Hungarians' heart: athletic achievements are not only the results themselves: they are part of the national identity and link between generations."
Hungarians are proud of the role they have long played in international sports, he said, adding that Budapest has hosted several major international sporting events in recent years.
Noting that sports were not restricted to competitive sports, Gábor Pósfai said it also fostered social cohesion, improved quality of life and promoted well-being. "Supporting sports means more than just internal affairs. It is also a public duty and responsibility, as sports help educate young people by teaching discipline, respect for others, sportsmanship, and teamwork," he said. The Olympic movement embodies the spirit of sport at the highest level, transcends borders, and strengthens cultural ties between nations, qualities especially in demand at a time when Europe faces numerous challenges, he pointed out.
The President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) Zsolt Gyulay, noted at the assembly that Hungarian athletes had won a total of 190 gold, 165 silver, and 189 bronze Olympic medals.
The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Kirsty Coventry, was of the view that cooperation is needed for preserving sports as a neutral territory where people compete based on their results and achievements and where they aren't judged based on their passports or the deeds of their country's government. The IOC, the EOC, international organizations and event organizers have a shared responsibility in ensuring neutrality and independence, she said.
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